Order Of The Phoenix
by maverickiceman
Summary: Just re-posting and continuing an interesting abandoned story by TIJK I stumbled across. First 10 chapters are the original authors.
1. Chapter 1

Just fyi: this isn't mine, obviously. Hope the original author doesn't mind.

Disclaimer: Own nothing and all that stuff, other than that, enjoy... Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 1

A Sirius Corruption

-o-

_Then the whispering stopped. Harry wanted to looked up at the judges, but found that it was really much, much easier to keep examining his laces._

"_Those in favor of clearing the witness of all charges?" said Madam Bones' booming voice._

_Harry's head jerked upwards..._

-o-

There were hands in the air, but not more than half. His breathing became faster, his heart beating hard against his chest; he attempted to count unable to believe what was happening. However, the look of victory was filling the features of Cornelius Fudge. The glint in his eyes should have sent shivers through Harry, but he felt so numb…

"And those in favor of conviction?" Madam Bones boomed, her eyes darting around the room finding more than half had raised their hands.

Harry looked to Dumbledore who held his gaze on Cornelius Fudge, but the Minister's entire focus was on the Boy-Who-Lived. "_How?_" Harry asked himself, the evidence was on his side and everything he had said was true. How could this happen to him after everything he had been through the past four years. He thought about life without Hogwarts, but there was nothing…

"Mr Potter," boomed Cornelius Fudge happily. "You are hereby _expelled_ from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and you will be required to hand over your wand. It will be destroyed here and now making sure that you will _never_ perform magic again!"

Harry looked to Cornelius Fudge, a portly man who wore a triumphant smirk, sounding as though he had just conquered a Dark Lord.

"Percy would you so kindly retrieve Mr. Potter's wand?" asked Fudge in a tone that made Harry want to strangle the life out of him.

The traitor of the Weasley family jumped from his seat, looking to be almost skipping towards Harry. When in front of the Gryffindor, Percy spoke like the pompous prat the Twins had always said he was.

"Hand over your wand Mr. Potter!"

Harry slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out his holly and phoenix feather wand, gripping it tightly as he did. His gaze then landed on Percy who held his hand out waiting for him to place it there.

Then memories of the times his wand had helped him came to the surface. He remembered first using his wand, attempting to turn a match into a pin. Fighting off spiders in his second year and casting the Patronus Charm in his third. Then the Triwizard Tasks he had fought through the previous year, which in the end led to Voldemort.

Very reluctantly he allowed Percy to take it, watching in slow motion as it slid smoothly from his fingers.

The traitorous Weasley then rushed back up the steps, handing it over to the Minister who was now standing. Without hesitance Fudge brought his wand quickly down upon his knee, a sound like a bomb exploding filling the courtroom.

"Underage magic will not be tolerated!" spoke Fudge with satisfaction. "All students who do so will face this punishment."

With that said the members of the Wizengamot rose from their seats and begun to gather their things, taking their leave while Dumbledore and Harry sat there.

Fudge, Percy and a toad like woman smiled broadly when walking past the two, Harry unable to meet their gaze for more than a second. It sickened him to know how they could take his life away like it meant nothing. What he had faced were impossible odds and no matter what happened that day he was going to be expelled. It was foolish of him to have even thought he had had a chance.

Once the courtroom was empty, Harry sat waiting for Dumbledore to speak some words of comfort. To offer him hope, anything that could give him something to grab onto. But instead the Headmaster rose from his chair and sighed, banishing it away.

"I am sorry Harry," spoke the elderly wizard, looking to have aged many years within seconds, his hair and beard continuing to gleam in the torchlight. Dumbledore stared towards the doors, concentrating on them as though they were a piece of fine art. "It seems Cornelius had us cornered from the moment we entered this room. No matter, this is merely a short term blow and one that we can recover from."

"I'm expelled, how can we deal with that?" Harry asked weakly.

"We will, but for now all I can offer you are my deepest sympathies. I shall see you soon." The Headmaster then left, leaving Harry alone in the room where his life had practically been destroyed. He wished he could sit there forever wishing away the events that had just occurred, but he could not. So instead he rose to his feet and allowed them to lead him to the exit.

-o-

"I'd say everything's going to be okay, but then I'd be lying," said Sirius as the two sat holed up in the drawing room.

The Boy-Who-Lived noticed out of the corner of his eye how Sirius's long hair fell over his eyes every time he turned his head, attempting to think of something positive to say. There was not much to say for his life at Hogwarts was over and he was now officially an outcast of the wizarding world. "Least you don't have to worry about getting detention."

"I won't be able to play Quidditch either," Harry replied grimly, feeling himself become smaller every time he remember the little things he would be unable to do. He even felt himself sink further when realising he would no longer sample the excellent treacle tart Hogwarts offered. It was just one bad thing after another.

"Hogwarts isn't all it's cracked up to be anyway," said Sirius ruffling his godson's hair. "We can have fun here; we'll be outcasts together. If you want we can find a few Death Eaters, kill them, and then be wanted dead or alive together as well!"

"You're not really good as this comforting thing are you?" replied Harry smiling weakly at the thought of killing Lucius Malfoy. It would probably stop Draco strutting around Hogwarts.

"It was either me, Molly or Remus," chuckled Sirius. "Knowing Molly she'd fuss all over you, _my _godson mind you."

"True," mumbled Harry. "But what about Remus, at least he doesn't bring up inappropriate things such as killing Death Eaters."

"I kind of lied about Remus."

Harry felt himself chuckle weakly, the truth being he would rather be with Sirius than anybody else. He was the parent he had always wanted, someone who loved him and would do anything for him. Would say the right things…well maybe not the last one, but he still cared no matter what.

"I also cast a few charms on the door so that if anyone knocked they'd end up with hair like Snape's," Sirius said happily. "I'd like to see Molly get past that one."

"Not really a fan of hers are you?"

"Merlin no, she tries to act like your parent when I'm the one your father and mother chose.

Sometimes I just want to curse the woman for acting like you're one of hers. There's nothing wrong with that at all, but the way I see it is, is that you're my godson and I just want to be the one whose there for you."

Harry grinned at his godfather, resting his head against the man's shoulder.

Sirius's placed an arm around Harry. "I lost you once, it's not going to happen again."

"So then we're stuck in this place together then?" Harry asked, the idea of living with Sirius appealing to him greatly.

"Damn right!" proclaimed Sirius.

"Shouldn't be too bad then," sighed Harry, thinking that his time at the Grimmauld Place would not be so bad at all, especially when he got to spend it with his godfather.

-o-

Over the few weeks Harry wished he could have been excited with idea of staying with Sirius at Grimmauld Place, but watching as his friends slowly begun to prepare themselves for Hogwarts made him feel awful inside. Everyone noticed his mood, which meant they did whatever they could to try and cheer him up.

Whether it be telling him all the positive things about not going back to Hogwarts ("You don't have to take OWLs Harry!" said Ron with a huge grin. "You're free from Hermione pestering you to study!") or about how brilliant it would be staying with Sirius ("You get to spend your time with your godfather who you don't really know," Ginny said with a smile. "It also helps that you're staying at the Order headquarters and you know how he hates keeping things from you!").

They constantly kept him occupied so that he would spend less time brooding, but it was rather annoying because he never really had the chance to be on his own. But he knew it was for the best, because once they were gone it was till Christmas.

"We'll write you as often as we can," stated Hermione as they sat at the kitchen table, Ron and Ginny playing wizards chess while Hermione was reading _Hogwarts: A History _for the hundredth time.

"We'll make sure you know everything that's going on," Ron added while taking Ginny's queen.

"And while they're sending you letters, I'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat," Ginny said.

"Ginny you know how unhygienic-"

But Ginny was not listening to Hermione for she had gone back to game, suddenly letting out a frustrated groan as Ron had taken her bishop. "I knew I shouldn't play this bloody game with you."

"Don't worry about it, Hermione and Harry always lose themselves, it's not as if I expect you to win," Ron said with a smirk, meeting his sister's glare and smiling to Harry's astonishment.

Harry put this down to Ron being a Weasley and being used to looks that could kill.

"What are you kids up to?" asked Sirius walking into the kitchen wearing a scowl.

Harry eyed his godfather curiously, but quickly realised why he was scowling, as Molly Weasley came rushing into the kitchen looking to have ran from wherever she had been. He had noticed Mrs Weasley did not really approve of Sirius and seemed to pop up with one reason or another when they were together, and if she did not turn up one of her children would. The Gryffindor knew his godfather was almost at breaking point and what little restraint he had in him was wearing thin.

"Anyone hungry?"

Sirius visibly cringed and took a seat next to his godson and began to whisper so only he could hear. "That woman must be stopped!" Harry let out a snort, Sirius ruffling his hair as he did. "I swear she thinks I'm going to turn you into a mini-me."

"Is that what you're planning?" asked Harry, a gleam appearing in his godfather's eye.

"Of course, but with dear Molly appearing at every bloody moment I try, it's becoming rather difficult. Besides, from the moment I held you as a baby my corruption began then, I just haven't had the time to corrupt you further."

"Well we're stuck here together for a while and there are bound to be times where Mrs Weasley won't be around."

Sirius grinned and placed an arm around Harry. "They shall be the times I teach the tricks you should have been taught long ago." It was at that moment Molly suddenly _needed_ to clean the table, hovering rather close to where Harry and Sirius where seated, meaning his godfather could not tell him what he exactly planned to do.

When Molly Weasley realized she was not going to hear a thing, she went to clean the rest of the table her eyes glancing continuously over at the pair.

"I swear here and now I will corrupt you to simply annoy her!"

Harry knew immediately that Sirius would not fail in his attempt.

-o-

"Harry. Harry. Harry."

The Boy-Who-Lived groaned, hearing as his name was continually whispered. He kept his eyes shut wanting to ignore all sounds, for he had only fallen asleep around midnight due to he, the Weasleys and Hermione discussing the Order once again.

"Harry James Potter, wake up or I'll ground you!"

"Go away you mutt," muttered Harry.

"If Death Eaters had infiltrated this house you'd be dead by now!"

"Good, then I could rest in peace." He heard a snort come from Sirius, but knew he had yet to move from beside his bed. Snuggling into his pillow, Harry felt himself about to doze off before he flew up into air dangling by his ankle. "Argh! Let me down you git!"

Harry glared at his godfather who according to Remus, had become more like the old Sirius since hearing Harry would no longer be returning to Hogwarts. He was clean-shaven, his hair now hung just above the bottom of his neck and his eyes seem to dance even though no lights were on.

"Harry we have much work to do!"

"Well I've got much sleep to catch up on so get lost before I call Mrs Weasley!" Harry knew that this would normally scare off his godfather, but he was doubtful when Sirius's grin seemed to widen. "What have you done?"

"Drugged her," he said proudly; Harry staring at him in disbelief. "Don't worry about it, nothing to serious. It's just going to keep her out a little longer than normal."

"What are you planning Sirius?" Harry asked, watching as Sirius withdrew a box from within his robes.

"I wasn't supposed to give you this until _after _the others left for Hogwarts, but seeing as I'll need your help it couldn't hurt for you to have it sooner now could it?" Sirius grinned, holding the box out to Harry.

The former Hogwarts student knew what it was, but it was hard to believe. He had been told there was only ever one wand for each wizard. It was impossible for him to have another matching wand…wasn't it?

Stretching out his arm, he took the box from Sirius and while still upside down opened it.

Lying there upon a velvet material was an eleven-inch wand, which he guessed had the core of a certain phoenix he knew. Grabbing the wand uncertainly he felt a warmth travel through him and then with a stroke through the air, red and gold sparks filled the air.

"H-h-how," stuttered Harry in disbelief still upside down.

Sirius seemed to realize this and let him down gently and took a seat next to Harry on his bed, watching as his godson looked at his wand from all angles. "Dumbledore had a feeling that the Ministry was going to expel you, due to a certain Death Eater we know and hate, having paid a few of those who voted for your expulsion off," growled Sirius, Harry not needing to guess who. "Anyway Dumbledore had a feather on hand to give to Ollivander and did so the moment he left your trial."

"When did you get this?" Harry asked still admiring his wand.

"Few days ago and I was _told_ to give it to you after the others had left for Hogwarts, but the thing is…I've always had a problem following rules especially when they concern my godson."

"So you'll probably get in trouble for this then?" Harry asked.

"You're worth it Harry," stated Sirius simply. "There isn't much I can do being an escaped convict, but if I can do something you better believe I'll do everything in power to help you."

Harry looked away from his wand to his godfather and could not stop the huge grin that appear on his face.

"Come here," Sirius said wrapping an arm around him. "Now what's say you and I have some fun?"

"By your definition of fun you mean cause mayhem?"

"Not mayhem, just a few harmless pranks."

"Harmless?" Harry asked, making sure.

"Marauders' honor!" Sirius then crossed his heart and help up his wand, looking over to see Ron snoring quietly into his pillow. "How is it he's been asleep through this entire conversation?"

"A war could happen right now and he still wouldn't wake up," chuckled Harry. "Alright we'll do a few harmless pranks; it's not as if we can do anything too bad."

-o-

How wrong Harry was.

"WHAT WERE YOU BOTH THINKING!" yelled Molly Weasley, as Harry and Sirius stood in the kitchen covered from head to toe in a mixture of water and washing up liquid. The two shared a look that plainly said 'we weren't really' that went unnoticed by Molly Weasley surprisingly. Either that or she completely ignored it. "Well?"

"I can honestly say that the bubbles were Harry's idea," stated Sirius, pointing at his godson while Harry looked at him in disbelief.

"_Well two can play that game!_"

"I can honestly say it was Sirius's idea to have the pots and pans bang together to wake everyone up!" Sirius looked to his godson, the mischief dancing in his eyes, Harry realising that it was a game of pass the blame. They could definitely have some fun with this.

"Harry charmed the plates red and gold!"

"Sirius charmed the teapot to say rude words!"

"It was your idea!"

"You're the one that decided to use rude words!"

"Really?" asked George from the table, grabbing hold of the teapot pouring tea into a cup. The words were so colorful; it caused both Hermione and Ginny to blush furiously. The other Weasleys, Ron, Fred and Bill all coughed furiously to conceal their laughter.

"HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO CHILDISH?"

"King of immaturity!" stated Sirius proudly.

"King of insanity more like," muttered Harry, earning a glare from Sirius. "Sorry, you weren't supposed to hear that…err…Sirius drugged you."

"WHAT!" growled Molly.

"Harry's idea to cover the kitchen and hall in bubbles," Sirius said, but realised that it wasn't going to work. "Ah…bugger."

"Language," said Harry grinning.

"English."

"More like – "

"Enough! Sirius start tidying up this mess; Harry give me the wand," said Molly holding out her hand.

"What?" Harry said gripping it tightly in his hand placing it behind his back. "No way I've only just got it."

"You're not supposed to have it yet and Sirius was wrong to give it to you."

"Not really considering that it is his property," said Sirius moving to stand in front of Harry, his own wand gripped tightly at his side.

Molly looked taken back, but nevertheless pressed on. "Harry give me – "

"And since when did you become his mother?" Sirius asked, giving Molly Weasley a look that clearly showed he was not going to listen to anything she had to say. "I am Harry's guardian and if I decided to give Harry his wand then it stands."

"Dumbledore – "

This was definitely the wrong thing to say for Sirius exploded, his anger at Dumbledore clearly having been built up for some time. "He has no right to tell me what to do for my godson considering everything he's ever done for him!

"So Molly; if you expect me to listen to orders concerning my godson from Dumbledore then you should really question your parenting abilities. Because no one tells you what's best for your kids, just like no one tells me what's best for Harry!" With that Sirius began to lead Harry out of the kitchen. "Especially when his assured safety leads to him facing Voldemort three out of the four years he attended Hogwarts!"


	2. Chapter 2

_**Maverick's A/N:- **_To Eryk Lestrange: I don't have to work Tonks in, TIJK (the original author) already took care of that. Chapter 11 onwards will be my own work, till then I'm posting the original chapters after proofreading them.

Disclaimer: Own nothing, need money, reckon JK will give me a handout? Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 2

Fiery Red Head

-o-

"Guess you're not happy with Dumbledore then," Harry said with a grim smile, his godfather growling.

They had been in the drawing room for an hour, Harry watching as his godfather paced up and down the room, teaching him phrases even his Uncle Vernon had never said.

"Far from happy Harry." His godfather stopped his pacing, and threw himself down to the floor next to his godson. "The git like Molly needs to learn that it's not for them to decide what's best for you."

"What do they think is best for me?"

"Lock you up in here and treat you like a _child,_ who has no need to know about what's going on, and give you information they _think_ that you should know." Sirius laughed bitterly before continuing, "Dumbledore even suggested sending you back to the Dursleys, because you're so well protected _there_. Barmy old codger forgot about the bloody Dementors didn't he?"

"Didn't happen to mention why, did he?"

"Dumbledore said he would explain when the time was right." Sirius chuckled when Harry snorted. "Believe it or not, this was the one thing Molly and I agreed on. You wouldn't return there unless it was absolutely necessary."

Harry began to laugh, Sirius rolling his eyes at his godson. "You two getting on is like Ron admitting he wants to snog Hermione."

"We aren't that…who I'm my kidding, the woman's out to drive me insane," groaned Sirius, grabbing at his hair. "Always adding her opinion on everything concerning you; barely even allowing me to say a word. At the last meeting I almost cursed her when Dumbledore gave me your new wand, because she tried to convince him to let her mind it."

"What did you say?"

"What?" Sirius attempted to look innocent, but again like that morning, the mischievous look in his eyes gave him away.

"Come on Sirius, if you didn't curse her, you obviously said something."

"Like your mother you know that, know me too bloody well."

Harry felt his stomach flip at the compliment.

"Alright, I may have said something like 'stop getting involved in things that don't bloody concern you' and added something such as 'we should set Molly on Voldemort, as she'll probably nag him to death'."

"Explains why she's always around when you are. Mrs Weasley (Sirius scowled) probably feels your sense of humour will rub off on me," said Harry, still chuckling about the Voldemort joke. "I take it Mr Weasley wasn't to happy?"

"Actually he agreed with me."

Harry was taken back in surprise. "About the nagging Voldemort to death?"

"Of course not," laughed Sirius, ruffling his godson's hair. "About how she's imposing herself too much on our quality together, but he said that she's just worried about everyone."

"You just want her to be worried about everyone else but me. That's your job, which you did rather well last year."

"Don't remind me, don't think I slept properly from the moment I heard you entered that damn tournament."

Harry could not help but agree; how he got asleep some nights were nothing short of a miracle.

"Anyway, lets not depress ourselves, want to learn some magic?"

"Sure," Harry said, picking up his wand from the floor. "What do you want to teach me?"

"A little spell called _Levicorpus_," Sirius said, unable to keep a grin forming on his lips.

Harry did not like that grin at all.

Sirius and Harry spent the rest of the day away from the others. They only showed up at meal times, and spent the rest of the time locked up in Sirius's room, his godfather teaching him some of the spells he found useful at Hogwarts. One of these was the Trip Jinx, which Harry rather enjoyed learning. Sirius swore his knee was starting to swell after tripping over for the fifth time.

The Gryffindor had to admit that Sirius was a good teacher, and Harry was able to learn a handful of new spells in a matter of hours through his tutoring. The down side was, he would have to practice a few of them to pull them off perfectly, but with his godfather's tutoring skills, he was far from worried.

Harry used one of those spells, _Levicorpus_, the following morning on the unsuspecting Twins, when they tried to put a Trip Jinx outside Hermione and Ginny's bedroom door. They were rather impressed, and praised him while hanging upside down wandless. It was when Harry let them down they had told him to prepare for war. At breakfast, the troublesome duo had charmed a pitcher of orange juice to tip over his head.

Sirius however, came to the Gryffindor's aid, Molly Weasley pouncing when his godfather caused their prank to backfire and tipped the pitcher over them. Another argument had broken out, in which several people had gone deaf, and were Harry had to drag his godfather out of the kitchen, when Molly called him a "useless excuse of a godfather".

The Boy-Who-Lived was finding himself at breaking point, getting fed up with Molly Weasley trying to impose her rules on them. He understood that she cared and that she was worried, but attempting to force herself and everyone else in on his time with Sirius was going too far. The Gryffindor just hoped, well at least part of him did that Sirius did not follow through with his claim, and lock her in the attic with Kreacher.

-o-

Harry sat in the drawing room later that day alone for the first time in weeks, skimming through one of the few books that had been deemed safe in the house. He was not really concentrating on it, as his focus was on what he and Sirius would get up to once it was just the two of them in the house. He had heard from Mr. Weasley that he and his wife were to go back to the Burrow, once their children went back to Hogwarts. But a feeling in his gut said that Molly would decide to hang around; especially since she did not approve of Sirius as a guardian for him.

As he skimmed through the book, he did not notice the drawing door open, nor did he notice Ginny Weasley walk in with a red face. What he did notice however, was Ginny throw herself down next to him on the battered couch Sirius and Remus had brought down from the attic, grab the book out of his hand and throw it hard at the wall.

"Whatever it is, it's all Sirius's fault," Harry said automatically, picking up another book.

"What have you done?"

The Gryffindor looked up from the book, finally noticing that this was not a Ginny that wanted to be messed with. "Never mind," he said dismissively, "what's the problem?"

"My bloody mother is annoying me!"

"You and Sirius should start a club," joked Harry, Ginny managing to produce a small smirk. "What is she planning now, having you convince me to go with her back to the Burrow once you all leave?"

"No," said Ginny, "that's what she plans for us to do later at dinner."

Harry raised his eyebrow, taken back in surprise.

"Don't look so surprised Harry, everyone can see she does not think Sirius a worthwhile guardian."

"Thought she'd be talking to Dumbledore; myself. I'm not too worried; if Dumbledore tries to send me anywhere, Sirius has promised that we'll be leaving the headquarters. According to Remus, he's been acting like his name a lot more lately."

"Bad joke Harry," said Ginny rolling her eyes.

"So why is your mother annoying you, still think you're too young?" It seemed he had hit the nail on the head.

"Yes, apparently I'm too young to have a boyfriend," growled Ginny.

"Who?" asked Harry, curious.

"Michael Corner from Ravenclaw."

Harry tried to recall a face or name, but could not. "Haven't a clue who he is."

"We started talking last year, and well…he asked me to start dating him and…I said yes."

Harry nodded, indicating her to proceed.

"Anyway, she was getting all the robes together to clean them, and spotted the letter from Michael on the desk, and she had the bloody nerve to read it!"

Harry was taken back in surprise by the red heads temper, one that he guessed could probably match his own. "_Mental note, don't get her angry anytime soon_."

"Then she starts asking me questions about him, and then tries to give me a lecture about how I'm too young and should be focusing on my studies!"

"At which point, you yelled at her, she yelled back, and then you stormed out the room in anger?"

Ginny nodded.

"Normally it's Hermione who's good at reading into these kinds of things."

"Don't get me started on her! I try going to her for advice, and all she's doing is moaning how it's unfair that you're allowed to use magic and she's not. Going on about how she needs to study for her OWLs, how Sirius should really grow up, Ron being a prat, and how I should get a head start on my OWLs instead of dating."

"Least she listened," offered Harry.

"She sided with my mother! And she can't say a bloody thing! Miss bloody perfect! Miss I-spent-time-in-a-lip-lock-with-Victor-Bloody-Krum!" Ginny realizing what she had just said, squeaked, and covered her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to mention that."

"Really?" Harry said, having not been privy to this information. "She really kissed him?"

Ginny however, refused to answer.

"Come on Ginny, you've already told me part of it, at least tell me the rest," said Harry with a grin, Ginny shaking her head. "If you do, I'll give you a signed autograph."

The fiery red head glared before removing her hands from her mouth. "No chance after that comment Potter!"

"Come on, you can ask me anything in return, for information on Hermione and Krum."

Ginny thought on this for a second before smiling, and offering her hand.

Harry shook it, wondering what she would ask. "Go ahead, ask anything."

"What did you do with the Triwizard winnings?"

"Bugger," he groaned, before banging his head with his hands. "Fine, but you can't tell anyone."

"Fine," she said happily, "now spill."

"I gave it to Fred and George so they could start their joke shop."

Ginny raised her eyebrows, looking partially surprised. "All of it?"

"Every last Knut and I'd do it again, they really know their stuff."

Ginny sat back in her chair grinning. "Well, if mum ever found out she'd have to restrain herself from killing you, and would expect the Twins to give you back every last Knut."

"And I'd give it right back," he said with a grin. "Anyways, tell me what you know about our sweet innocent Hermione!"

Ginny merely snorted, giving Harry the impression that his know-it-all friend was far from sweet and innocent.

-o-

It turned out that Hermione had not only kissed Krum, but snogged him on several occasions. Harry leaned back on the couch grinning at the blackmail he now had on his bushy haired friend. His grin had grown in size, especially when hearing that Krum had practically begged her in a letter to come see him that very summer. It was only because of her moving into Grimmauld Place, and her parent's wariness that she did not go.

However, his grin had disappeared when Sirius had walked into the drawing room looking far from happy, and he knew why the instant he explained. Dumbledore was there to see the two.

They sat in the kitchen, Molly Weasley thankfully not around, watching Dumbledore as he seemed to find the fireplace in kitchen, exhilarating. He had so far not even looked towards them, his sky blue robes swaying slightly as he ran his wand over the fireplace.

"We going to sit here while you exam the fire all day Albus, or are you going to get to the point?" Sirius asked point blank.

"Just merely making sure the defenses are secure," replied Dumbledore, still not looking over.

Harry looked to his godfather who had not taken his eyes off the Headmaster, wondering whether he would be able to contain himself. Sirius was angry at Dumbledore, and would probably be set off if the Headmaster did not choose his words carefully.

Eventually, Dumbledore seemingly deciding that everything was fine, took a seat at the table, his eyes focused solely on Sirius. "I have come to learn that you and Harry here have been causing trouble as of late," said Dumbledore, not getting a chance to continue as Sirius quickly jumped in.

"There he goes," mumbled Harry.

"Causing trouble! Bloody hell Albus, we play two pranks, one were I was defending Harry from being soaked in orange juice, and all of a sudden were raising hell everywhere we go! The problem is not us; it's Molly Weasley, who seems to bloody well think that she has a right to say anything concerning _my godson_! So before you start sprouting off any lies she's told you, go ask her why _I_, can't spend time with _my godson_, without her sending someone into the room to watch us! Or her _suddenly_ finding a reason to clean the room we're in!"

"Sirius, there is no need to shout, though I may be old, my hearing has not been affected." The Headmaster smiled, while summoning three bottles of Butterbeer and conjuring three crystal goblets, the bottles pouring their contents into them. "I understand how Molly feels; she is worried for everyone, especially Harry who seems to attract trouble without so much as batting an eye.

"You must realize Sirius that while you were not there, Molly took him in, in her heart as a seventh son. She feels the need to protect Harry just as much as you do, and most probably feels hesitant to let go."

Sirius sat there digesting the Headmaster's words, the anger in his face seeming to vanish rather quickly. He sighed, running a hand through his long hair. "Doesn't give her the right to force herself or anyone else on my time with Harry. We both know I haven't had the chance to be there for him properly for the most of his life."

"I will speak with her Sirius; you need not worry about this. It is her mere parental instincts to protect her children from such a corruptive influence."

Harry noticed the twinkle in his eye shine brightly.

Sirius seemed to also notice this, a small smile forming on his lips. "You make it bloody difficult to be angry with you Albus."

"One of my many gifts," chuckled the Headmaster. "Also, I would like to congratulate the two of you for the excellent prank you pulled. Though, it would be best not to do something of that magnitude again. Especially you Harry." Dumbledore's eyes flashed briefly to Harry.

In that moment, Harry felt his scar burn white hot, as though the old wound had burst open again. Unbidden, unwanted, but terrifyingly strong, there rose within Harry a hatred so powerful he felt, for that instant, he would like nothing better than to strike the old man before him. But as soon as these urges came, they were gone, Harry feeling at his scar.

"Harry?" asked Sirius worriedly, his hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay? Is it your scar?"

"No…I mean yes…it…"

"It is as I feared," muttered Dumbledore.

Once again, Harry looked to the Headmaster, but found him staring into his goblet.

"What's going on Albus?" asked Sirius, worry clear in his voice.

"This will need to be discussed between you and I Sirius," said the Headmaster rising. "There is much I need to do." With that he Vanished his untouched goblet, before making his way to the kitchen door. "Do attempt to stay out of trouble boys; I would hate to receive another howler from Molly, I do not think Fawkes could take another one." And then he was gone.

Harry and Sirius looked to one another before both muttering the same thing. "I hate it when he does that."

-o-

"It was totally irresponsible!" Hermione had finally gotten him alone, Sirius deciding to think over Dumbledore's words, leaving Hermione to as his godfather would say 'rip him a new one'. "You could have seriously hurt someone! You're lucky to get your wand and practice magic again! And you use it instead to play a silly prank!"

"Yeah!" added Ron, "and why couldn't you let me in on it?"

Harry snorted as Ron cowered under Hermione's gaze, before he quickly grabbed a Quidditch magazine and hid behind it.

"You know Hermione, playing pranks isn't all that bad you know," said Ginny, who still looked far from happy with the bushy haired female. "Helps to relieve stress and you feel amazing after it comes off successfully."

"Maybe! But the people who are the victims don't exactly come out unharmed do they?" she quizzed, glaring at the red headed female.

"So in for it," muttered Harry shaking his head, when seeing Ginny's eye twitch. Hermione had rounded on him again, and looked ready to rant again. "Ron, fancy a game of chess?"

"Yeah," he said quickly, diving off his bed and running to the door. "Anything to get away from the explosion that's about to go off."

Harry quickly joined him and with a smile, he closed the door, and listened with satisfaction as Ginny's voice seemed to travel throughout the entire house.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING GLARING AT ME YOU BOSSY KNOW-IT-ALL? JUST BECAUSE YOU DON'T LIKE SOMETHING HARRY DOES, DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE A GO AT HIM!

"IT WAS TOTALLY – "

"DON'T YOU DARE START YELLING AT ME! YOU'RE THE ONE IN THE WRONG HERE!"

"Even I'm clever enough to realize you don't glare at my sister without good reason," Ron said, wincing as his sister continued to yell at Hermione. "Reckon we should go in there and rescue her?"

"I intend to live to see tomorrow," chuckled Harry; starting to make his way down the hall.

"Right, wizard chess it is!"

-o-

Harry and Ron had taken refuge in the kitchen, playing a few games of chess before quickly becoming bored. Soon enough Hermione and Ginny joined them, apparently having come to a truce due to them leaving for Hogwarts soon. It did not mean they were talking however; they merely tolerated each other's presence.

"Who do you reckon will crack first?" Harry asked Ron, as the four sat in the kitchen. Hermione was currently reading while Ginny was stroking Crookshanks, the part Kneazle curled up in her lap, while the two boys now played exploding snap.

"Hermione, Ginny is as stubborn as they come."

"You're saying Hermione isn't? Remember third year when we thought her cat had eaten the traitor?" Harry said, "And second year, when she refused to believe Lockhart was a fraud."

"What about Lockhart?" asked Ginny, now scratching Crookshanks belly.

"Just saying how you and Hermione both drooled over him," chuckled Ron, ducking when Hermione threw a quill at him. "Merlin, woman!"

"You're lucky I didn't throw the book!"

"I recommend just bringing up a certain incident, with a certain French female we know to shut his big gob!" yelled Ginny, blushing slightly.

The youngest Weasley male seemed to blush worse than his sister, and fixed his eyes on the cards.

Harry on the other hand, was having a hard time getting his laughter under control.

"Don't know why you're laughing Harry, didn't you get turned down by Cho?"

That stopped Harry's laughter, and he joined Ron blushing, his eyes now fixed on the cards.

"Come on Hermione, lets leave these two idiots," growled Ginny as she stood and left the kitchen, Hermione following, a smirk on her lips.

After a minute of silence, the two looked to one another confused.

"What just happened there?" Ron asked him, Harry pretty unsure himself.

"I don't know, but at least there talking again."

"You mean more like calling us gits behind our backs."

"Know what Harry, no matter how long we live, we'll never understand the way a girls mind works," said Ron as the cards exploded, both of them quickly withdrawing their fingers.

"To use one of your phrases, they're mental."

Ron could not help but agree.

The girls seemed to forgive them, and returned only an hour later. The two Gryffindor females had come back into the kitchen looking rather happy with themselves, this giving Harry uneasy feelings in his stomach. They seemed far too happy, considering he and Ron had…well mostly Ron, had embarrassed them.

"So when do the Hogwarts letters come anyway?" Hermione asked Mrs Weasley, as she made the dinner.

"Albus said they'll be coming tomorrow," said Molly, "I really wish they'd sent them out sooner, but it seems the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher had trouble finding a suitable book."

"Shouldn't be that hard," commented Harry, "there are quite a few Defense books that can help with the OWLs."

"How would you know?" asked Ginny.

"When I was preparing for the Third Task last year, I found quite a few books that looked really good. There was this one called _Defense OWLs Made Easy_, which had a nice selection of defensive and offensive magic."

"I read that book, though some of the spells looked quite beyond OWL level." Hermione looked ready to start a discussion over the book Harry mentioned, and he instantly regretted it. He was only making conversation. "I mean I'm sure with enough practice, I could – "

"Hermione, we're not going to discuss books unless it's absolutely necessary," Ron stated, doing his best to ignore the glare Hermione sent at him.

"Don't know why Ron, without Harry there you're going to have to do work all on your own now. Unless Hermione is kind enough to lend you her work," Ginny said sweetly, Ron seemed to shrink in his chair, while Hermione gave Ginny a satisfied smirk.

"You'll have to teach me how you can control your brother Ginny, he can never seem to do as he's told when I tell him." With that she was off on a rant, Molly Weasley looking on with a smile at the bushy haired female.

"Last time I open my big mouth," mumbled Ron to Harry, who managed a small smile.

"_She's right…no more Ron and me copying each other's work._" Harry looked to his friends and felt something stab at his heart. Christmas had never felt so far away.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Own nothing, wish I did, could use the cash. Enjoy. Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 3

Saying Goodbye

-o-

Harry sat with his friends as they went through the various packages Molly Weasley had picked up for them from Diagon Alley. That morning the letters had come for Hogwarts with the Weasley family getting a surprise when Ron was made Prefect.

To say Molly was happy was an understatement. There was a skip in her step before she departed for the alley and surprised Ron when he had asked for a new broom, and she said 'yes'.

"The Defense book does not look very interesting," muttered Hermione, as she seemed to skim through _Defensive Magical Theory_.

"We've been assigned that too." Fred and George apparated into the room, both holding a copy of the new text.

"Looks like Dumbledore finally found a new Defense teacher," Fred said as he too looked through his book. "Very dull read I think."

"You've read it?" asked Ginny.

"Looked through the first chapter and it was really, really boring."

Fred nodded in agreement with his twin. "Apparently Dumbledore had a tough time getting a new teacher for the position."

"Can see why really," replied Harry as he picked up Ron's copy and began to read the back. "One dead, one memories erased, one sacked and another locked in a trunk for ten months. Can see why people are lining up for the job."

"Well this one doesn't look very promising," said Ginny looking to have read the first page and then put it down in disgust. "My guess is that this Defense teacher won't be as good as the others."

"Count on it," said Sirius entering the room carrying an empty bag, which most probably contained dead rats before he had fed Buckbeak.

"Take it you know something we don't?" asked Fred, Sirius nodding grimly. "Well let us have it, is this new Defense teacher going to be a hit or a miss?"

"Let's just say if I were in my OWL or NEWT year, I'd be very worried about passing the Defense exam."

The look in Sirius's eye proved he was not joking and Harry could not help but look to Hermione, who looked on the verge of having a fit.

"I'd buy my own book to study for the Defense exam because the one you've got isn't going to be much use."

"A lot like Lockhart's then eh?" said Ron making sure not to look at Ginny or Hermione when he said this.

"Surely Dumbledore wouldn't hire anyone who would not be good for the students," said Hermione in disbelief.

Sirius walked over to the bed and picked up the book, glancing quickly over it. He then threw down the empty bag and began to skim through the pages, reading a paragraph or two before continuing through it once more. "The question you should be asking Hermione is whether he had a choice in the matter at all."

"What do you mean by that?"

Sirius however, did not answer as he threw down the book and left the room carrying the empty bag.

"How come I feel this year at Hogwarts is going to be a memorable one?" said Ron.

"Isn't it always?" Harry replied looking over the Defense book, his stomach churning in a bad way.

-o-

"So who exactly is the Defense teacher?" Harry asked Sirius at the party; which had been put together by Molly Weasley celebrating Hermione and Ron becoming Prefects.

Remus seemed to stiffen at his question and gripped his goblet rather tightly.

"Let's just say Moony isn't a fan of her," Sirius said with a sad smile.

"No I'm not," growled Remus.

"Who is she?" Harry asked, eager for information.

"Dolores Umbridge, Senior Under -Secretary to the Minister of Magic."

"She got some Anti-Werewolf legislation passed through two years ago, which makes it hard for Moony here to get a job, the woman is against anything that isn't fully human, or full blooded," added Sirius in disgust.

"Meaning Remus fits into both categories," said Harry sadly. "I'm sorry Remus."

"Not your fault Prongslet, it's hers for being so narrow minded. Anyway, enough talk of that evil toad." Remus rolled his eyes when Harry and Sirius shared an amused grin. "I can be nasty too went I want to be."

"No need to convince me," replied Sirius. "Remember that time I stole your secret stash of chocolate and Firewhiskey?"

Remus began to laugh, obviously remembering. "Very well actually, I remember you running away and trying to hide behind Lily. She didn't take to kindly to it especially when you fondled her."

Harry spat out some of his Butterbeer while Sirius suddenly had a pink tinge to his cheeks.

"Talk about bad memories, she turned around because I _accidentally_ pinched her bum and kicked me in the…well no need to spell it out."

Both Harry and Remus could not help but feel sympathetic. Well only a little in Harry's case, since he guessed Sirius had not _accidentally_ pinched his mother's bum.

"I must say it was rather a funny sight," said Remus continuing the story. "It also didn't help that I put you under the Nipple Twister Curse straight after."

"It was horrible and then when Prongs found out what I had done, he too put me under that bloody curse and then wouldn't speak to me until I wrote Lily a letter of forgiveness."

"What's the Nipple Twisting curse?" Harry asked. "I've never heard of it before."

"Of course you haven't, unless you're one of the original Marauders of course." Remus smiled as Harry raised an eyebrow, Sirius jumping up to grab some more drinks. "Your father, Sirius and I invented it in our fifth year."

"That's brilliant, but why did you create a curse that twisted someone's nipples?" Harry asked amused.

"We wanted something to pass on to our children, your father's excuse, apart from the cloak and map, which we made in our sixth year. Sirius just wanted to create a spell that twisted your nipples without having to physically grab them."

"It takes a lot of hard work to twist someone's nipples when they're struggling." Sirius had come back with the drinks and took a seat at the table next to his godson. "That was one of our proudest days in the Marauders history."

"Right up there with becoming Animagi," added Remus. "Remember who we cast the spell on first?"

"Why old Snivelly of course," laughed Sirius. "Never seen him wanting to cry so badly in all my life. He did deserve it though, considering he and his friends chucked Wormtail into the lake."

The two Marauders then sighed heavily, Harry not bothering to ask any more questions.

Sirius had mentioned the traitor, the one who had destroyed their friendship in one night. Who had killed Harry's parents and sent him effectively to the Dursleys, got Sirius put in Azkaban for twelve years and left Remus alone to pick up the pieces.

"To Redhead and Prongs," said Sirius raising his goblet.

"To Lily and James," muttered Remus raising his.

Harry lifted his, the image of his parents at their wedding coming to mind. "To my mum and dad."

The three had been rather quiet after that and neither of them felt quite in the party mood. The night went from bad to worse when Moody showed the three a picture of the original Order of the Phoenix. Neither Remus nor Sirius were in the mood for anyone after seeing their friends in the photo, the two along with Harry taking refuge in the corner of the kitchen, conjuring up a small round table.

"How is it that when we bring up that bloody rat everything goes to absolute crap?" asked Sirius grumpily, looking at his Butterbeer in disgust. "Why I drink this stuff I'll never know."

"Because Molly won't let you near the Firewhiskey until after the children are safely in bed." Remus seemed to be in the same mind and was eyeing his Butterbeer in the same fashion. "I really could do with a real drink, but not until the children are in bed Padfoot!"

"You're no fun Moony," sulked Sirius. "I mean a bit of alcohol could liven up this party!"

"Got a point," said Harry looking over to where Tonks was making faces at Hermione and Ginny. "There are only so many times I can watch Tonks look like a female version of Dudley."

"That's possible?" asked Sirius sounding quite shocked. "I know this will sound really weird, but I think my cousin is rather beautiful. Hell! I even caught Moony looking at her first night she came here!"

Remus blushed at this and turned to glare at his best friend. "That was not the reason I was blushing!"

"Really?"

"I was just rather surprised she could fit into that top," said Remus. "I mean even you said yourself that the t-shirt was a little small."

Sirius chuckled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah I suppose it was, but I did feel a little guilty looking. She is my cousin an all, but I've been inside…I've been lonely…you on the other hand could have beaten my record of over two hundred different woman by now."

Harry spat out his drink for the second time that night, staring at his godfather who was looking rather pleased with himself.

"Yes, be amazed, I have the gift."

"The only gift you have is getting yourself and everyone around you drunk. So Padfoot stop exaggerating, stop having a bad influence on Harry, and Harry stop looking at Tonks' bosoms."

The Gryffindor blushed heavily looking away from the Auror who had thankfully not noticed.

"Sirius's fault, when someone says stuff like that you just…feel the need to see for yourself."

"Nice excuse, fancy telling Tonks that?" asked Remus.

"No bloody way," said Harry looking round to Sirius who was choking on his drink. "Why's he choking?"

"Why is he choking?"

Harry felt himself blush and glanced around to find Tonks there with a smile on her face, looking between the three.

"Harry embarrassed him." Remus smiled as Harry glared at him.

"How?" asked the Auror taking a seat, her hair going from bubblegum pink to bottle green in the blink of an eye.

"I said…err…that err…" said Harry, unable to think of a good answer, luckily he was saved by Remus.

"That Padfoot was a virgin."

At this Harry hid his head in his arms, while Sirius blushed and glared daggers at his best friend.

"Sorry Padfoot, but she did ask," said Remus grinning.

"Oh stop embarrassing Harry!" said Tonks glaring at the Marauders playfully. "Now why are you three staring over at us girls?"

"Just talking," muttered Sirius. He did not look as though he had forgiven Remus.

"Any reason why Harry seemed to have eyes for a certain red head we know?" she asked, Harry groaning and proceeding to bang his head on the table. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Nothing at all Tonks," chuckled Remus.

Harry realized that if things went the way they did, Tonks would believe he liked Ginny more than a friend, which he did not. He did not fancy having the Ginny back that blushed around him every time he was in the room. "We were…err…just talking about when I killed a Basilisk and single handedly saved Hogwarts and the world from Voldemort," said Harry surprised by his own lie.

"Don't think I've heard that story," she said sounding very interested.

"I've heard the story just not from the source. Story-time my dear godson?" asked Sirius with a smile.

Remus on the other hand merely raised his eyebrows at Harry, while Tonks moved closer to the Boy-Who-Lived, the Gryffindor feeling her leg pressing against his.

"But before we begin, I need a drink."

"You've got one already Padfoot," said Remus shaking his head. "Molly will kill you."

"Moony, what you need is a stiff drink, _Accio Firewhiskey!_"

"We're in for a long night," muttered Harry, wishing he had just said that he did not fancy Ginny.

"Well it all started…"

-o-

"…and that's it! We won the house cup because Dumbledore gave me and Ron two hundred points each and received Special Awards for Services to the School, which can be found in the Trophy room at Hogwarts."

The three looked to Harry and then among each other. Sirius let out a bark like laughter, Remus chuckled wiping his brow and Tonks ruffled his hair.

"It was nothing," said Harry trying to play it down. He ran a hand through his hair not really liking the attention.

"You're to modest Harry," chuckled Tonks emptying her goblet of Firewhiskey. "If anyone did even half of what you've done they'd be Minister of Magic by now."

"Wouldn't really like the attention, the quiet life is for me," replied Harry; sipping at his Firewhiskey, savoring the taste. Though it did burn going down, it was rather a nice drink after the first goblet full. Though he did have the feeling that is should be drank from small glasses, not from goblets filled to the brim.

"More like your mother in that sense," said Remus fondly. "She hated attention while your father craved it until he deflated his head."

"What do you mean?" Harry had rarely heard anything about his father other than the fact that he was a Gryffindor and a Quidditch player. What Snape said did not count.

Sirius smiled sadly topping up Harry's goblet along with everyone else's. "Well your dad was a bit of an attention seeker. Loved being the centre of attention, only of course when your mother was around. Any other time he was a down to earth guy who loved to prank and drink Firewhiskey."

"The love of Firewhiskey started in fifth year," chuckled Remus.

"Our best year," sighed Sirius. "Becoming Animagi, drinking our first goblet of Firewhiskey, those Ravenclaw girls."

The other three watched as Sirius begun to day dream, his smile widening. "Those were the days, too bad they couldn't last forever…instead we had to grow up."

"Sirius wanted to be Peter Pan," said Remus to Harry and Tonks, both knowing the muggle story, began to laugh while Sirius pouted. The two then roared with laughter when Sirius with a wicked grin, poured the contents of his goblet over Remus and ran.

The werewolf drew his wand and cleaned himself off; a mad glint appeared in his eye. "Padfoot you can run and hide, but I'll smell you out!"

With that he took off after his friend leaving Harry and Tonks alone in the kitchen, both still laughing.

"He has no sense at all," laughed Tonks resting her head on Harry's shoulder. "I could sleep forever now, only need a bit of Firewhiskey before I'm starting to feel sleepy."

"Hmm," Harry replied resting head on hers. "Don't really drink; it's always been Butterbeer or Pumpkin juice for me."

"Missing out then," chuckled Tonks looking to be getting comfortable. "You're like a pillow Harry."

"Thanks, you're a err…great…err…Auror?"

Tonks laughed and lifted her head off his shoulder and gave him a kiss on the cheek before getting to her feet. "Well I'm off to bed Harry, sweet dreams."

"Night Tonks," he said weakly, watching as she left the kitchen unable to take his eyes off her as her hips swayed from side to side. Once she had left he looked down at the table, feeling rather tempted to begin banging his head on the table again. "Bugger!"

With a heavy sigh he grabbed his goblet and emptied what was left and laid his head gently on the table. He had a feeling that his stay at Grimmauld Place would be far from boring.

-o-

"Okay there Harry?" asked Remus the next morning as Harry munched his toast feeling half asleep.

"Meh." Harry had not slept very well that night, his dreams ranging from dark corridors, to Basilisks, to evil twin red heads and bubblegum pink…heads? Shaking his head he attempted to liven up, realising that he was sitting next to Arthur Weasley who looked rather tired himself. The head of the Weasley family offered a small smile.

"Okay there Harry?"

"Why do I feel like I've just be asked that question?"

Arthur chuckled along with Remus, both going back to their coffee and tea respectively.

"WILL YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW PLEASE!"

Harry groaned and grabbed at his head wishing that Molly Weasley could keep her voice down to a whisper.

"I think everyone's in a rush," said Sirius entering the kitchen, shaking his head. "Last time I help Ron with that bloody owl of his."

"What did he do?" asked Arthur.

"Wouldn't stop flying around in circles in his cage and was making me dizzy."

"Says the person who used to chase his tail for twenty minutes a day in dog form," chuckled Remus, who glared at Sirius when he whacked him with the paper. Remus however, had just lifted his cup of tea, which in turn spilt onto his lap. "You're lucky you had spare hangover potion Padfoot otherwise you'd be feeding me steak for the next week!"

"It's only a bit of tea," said Sirius waving his wand and cleaning his best friends robes.

"New robes Sirius, new bloody robes!"

"I'm meant to be the child here right?" Harry asked Arthur who chuckled. "So when are they heading for the train station?"

Arthur checked his watch and then looked to Moody who was cleaning his eye again muttering about 'dirty Death Eaters'. "Should we be heading out now Alastor?"

The ex-Auror checked his own watch and growled, dipping his hand into the goblet and pulling out his magical eye, shoving it into his eye empty socket where it begun to rotate rapidly. "Bloody Sturgis isn't here! Getting as unreliable as Mundungus!"

"Was Dung ever reliable?" whispered Sirius to Harry.

Harry said nothing and watched as the chaos ensued.

Hermione came flying into the kitchen, chasing Crookshanks who looked far from happy at going into a cage, while Fred and George Weasley were searching for any of their products they had left lying around.

The Gryffindor could not contain himself when he saw Tonks wearing an old woman like trench coat, with curly grey hair and a purple hat shaped like a pork pie.

"Think this is funny don't you!" growled the Auror who glared at Harry, along with Sirius who had joined in. "Wait till I get you when you're sleeping!"

That shut the two up.

"You coming?"

"Doubt it," said Sirius. "We'll be waiting for you all to report back."

"Sorry about that," Tonks said sadly looking more so to Harry who merely shrugged in response.

"Don't worry though; I'm only in half day today so we can have loads of fun once I get back later!"

Harry looked to Sirius who merely grinned in reply, the two making their way to the front door where everyone was finally assembled. Hermione, when seeing him, threw her arms around his neck, pretty much near choking him to death.

"We'll write as often as possible!"

Harry gave her a weak hug back, and groaned when the Twins grabbed him round the midsection and lifted him into the air.

"Later Harry!" said Fred grinning as they finally let him down, only due to the glare their mother was giving them.

"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat!" George quickly ran out of the door with Fred, moving away from their mother who looked ready to rant again.

Harry then turned to Ron who smiled weakly at him, the two merely shrugging and pulling each other into a brotherly like hug. "Watch over Hermione Ron, I've got a bad feeling about this year."

"Course I will mate," replied Ron as the two separated. "You just have fun with Sirius alright. I'll keep an eye on our know-it-all."

"Hey!"

Ron winced and moved out of the door with Hermione (who was glaring at Ron), Mr Weasley following as their guard.

"I hope you're not forgetting me Potter!" Ginny smacked him lightly on the arm before pulling him into a hug. "The Gryffindor teams in good hands don't worry."

"Good to know," he replied releasing Ginny who left with Lupin and Tonks.

"And then there were two," sighed Sirius placing a hand on Harry's shoulder, his godson watching as his friends disappeared down the street. "Constant Vigilance, Mad-Eye."

The ex-Auror tilted his porters cap and begun to pile the luggage up, making sure everything was secure before levitating it out of the door. "Everything will be fine Harry, you just keep watch over your godfather." With that the ex-Auror left leaving Harry and Sirius alone in the hallway, the two watching as he moved down the street, glancing around before apparating with a crack.

"Something tells me he's going to apparate half way around the world before he makes it to Kings Cross."

"Because he's lost it?" Harry asked closing the door.

"Pretty much," replied Sirius with a grin. "Want some Firewhiskey?"


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Own nothing and all that stuff. Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 4

Lessons Begin

-o-

The guard returned to Grimmauld Place ten minutes after the Hogwarts express had gone, this was due to Mad-Eye having them apparate to several locations before returning to headquarters.

"I swear he's bloody lost it!" growled Tonks who was back to normal.

"Constant vigilance," Harry had replied, only to receive a smack around the head. "I should just stay silent."

However, once they had all come back delivering the news that everything had gone according to plan people began to depart, Mad-Eye and Remus leaving to perform duties for the Order, while Tonks and Mr. Weasley had to leave for the Ministry. Mr.s Weasley had decided to go home and check on the Burrow, leaving the house empty except for Harry and Sirius.

"I'm going to get changed," said Sirius running upstairs after hearing everything went well, leaving Harry confused and to enter the kitchen alone.

The Gryffindor had been making tea for he and his godfather when Sirius, his hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing crease free black robes, walked in with a huge grin on his face.

"I'm not going to like this am I?" Harry asked his godfather, watching as he took a seat at the kitchen table and winking at him.

"Mr. Potter could you please bring me my cup of tea and sit your hide down, we have a lot of work to get through."

Not bothering to question his insane godfather he placed a cup of tea in front of Sirius, watching as he conjured up a stack of parchment. Across the top of the first sheet, it had in bold letters _Lesson Plan_. "Sirius what are you doing?" Harry asked, not liking where this was going.

"That is Professor Black from the hours nine in the morning till five o'clock in the evening. Your lessons will take place from Monday through to Friday. All that I might add will be practical. In your spare time you will practice the work you do in class among other things, such as how to charm and lie your way out of trouble.

"Other than that I am Professor Black, a Marauder, and your loving godfather."

Harry stared open mouthed at Sirius who looked to be taking his job very…Siriusly.

"So much for sitting around waiting for Christmas," sighed Harry sipping at his tea. "Do I at least get the day off because term doesn't effectively start till tomorrow."

"Very funny, Mr. Potter, very funny indeed," chuckled Sirius who conjured up a quill and some ink. "For that comment you'll be serving detention with Tonks tonight from six till seven, helping her tidy my room."

"Why is Tonks tidying your room?" Harry asked taking the parchment that Sirius handed him and reading it.

_Who Assigned Detention: The Gorgeous Sirius Black_

_Reason: Being a git like his father_

_Details of Detention: Cleaning Sirius's room_

"She lost a bet this morning," chuckled Sirius. "She bet that I couldn't make Moony want to curse me."

"What did you do?"

"Told him Emmeline Vance wanted to make him her personal sex slave."

Harry choked on his tea, remembering never to eat or drink when Sirius was talking. It was hazardous to your health.

"You do realize that it isn't exactly normal to say _that _word in front of your godson?"

"What? Sex?"

Harry blushed while Sirius rolled his eyes.

"My young Marauder you have a lot to learn. A lot indeed, but for now allow us to start your lessons. Wand out and prepare, Transfiguration first!"

Harry retrieved his wand from his back pocket wondering what Sirius had planned.

Since his godfather was unsure where to begin with Harry, he decided to go right to the beginning. Meaning Harry was studying first year magic, but of course his godfather was not going to make it that easy. He had to practice the spells first verbally, and then non-verbally.

Sirius had informed him that he would be learning how to cast his spells non-verbally, one, because it gave you an advantage over your opponent. Two, because he wanted him to be able to do something Hermione couldn't.

"That girl is too smart for the son of a Marauder," stated Sirius as Harry attempted to turn a match into a needle non-verbally. "The only person who can be smarter than a Marauder is Dumbledore, or a Marauder's spouse!"

"You mean girlfriend?" Harry said feeling rather ill at the thought of being involved with Hermione. She was more like a sister than anything.

"By the look on your face it shows she never will be! So you must be smarter than her! And if not, you study and prank her until you are! Even if it disrupts her learning!"

"You try disrupting Hermione's learning and you'll end up in a grave," replied Harry before waving his wand and much to his amazement, turned the match into a needle. "I did it!"

"Fantastic! Now turn it back into a match and then back again into a needle until you can do it without so much as thinking about it!"

To say Sirius worked him hard would be an understatement. His godfather wanted perfection and would make him play catch up on the weekends if he did not get the spell perfect during the lesson.

Harry was far from pleased at hearing this news. "You've got to be joking!" He had not been able to non-verbally cast a cheering charm. "I had it nearly!"

"Harry I broke out into girlish giggles! A Cheering Charm when properly applied will make the person who it has been cast on, happy and content! Not sounding like one of the many girls that followed me around Hogwarts!"

"They were probably following Remus," muttered Harry.

"Detention!"

"For what?"

"For stating that Remus has more sex-appeal than me!"

"Stop saying that word!" Harry in his anger cast an overpowered cheering charm, non-verbally surprisingly, at Sirius who broke into girlish giggles. "Now let's see you dance! _Tarantallegra!_"

His anger faded as he watched his godfather giggling madly while dancing around the kitchen and he broke out into laughter. Harry watched for a few minutes as Sirius glared at him, while he giggled uncontrollably and danced up onto the chair he been levitating earlier, before back flipping off it perfectly.

"Didn't know Padfoot was so cheery?" stated Remus walking into the kitchen, the Daily Prophet under his arm. He seemed to notice something was wrong quickly however, when Sirius's eyes pleaded with him while giggling. Drawing his wand, the werewolf muttered the counter curses and Sirius fell to the floor breathing heavily. "I wish I had taken a picture first."

Sirius regained his composure before standing up, straightening himself off before rounding on Harry. "Mr. Potter! That was unnecessary, childish, and above all else…A BLOODY EXCELLENT PRANK!"

Harry stared at his godfather confused.

"Harry the mark of a good prankster is one who has fun at other people's expense, and you my dear godson just had fun at my expense. Congratulations!" His godfather slapped him on the back and whispered in his ear, "Next time get Moony."

"I heard that Padfoot," said Remus who had conjured up the table Sirius had banished earlier and took a seat. "Werewolf senses remember."

"Of course," said Sirius cheerfully. "Harry, take your lunch, Defense Against the Dark Arts next. Also that's another detention for pranking your teacher."

"That's three already!" growled Harry.

"I'll make it four if you don't stop complaining," replied Sirius with a grin sitting next to Remus who was smiling. "Being a teacher, it's so much fun."

"Well Padfoot, you pay the consequences," muttered Remus turning the page.

"What do you mean?" asked Sirius curiously.

"You push the students they push back." Seeing Sirius had not gotten what he had said he outright told him. "Harry just turned your hair green and silver."

Harry quickly ran from room as Remus chuckled.

"DOUBLE DETENTION!"

-o-

If Harry said at Hogwarts he had gave a hundred percent for a full day in all his lessons, then that would be a lie. He generally worked hard and in his eyes he would never be a Hermione who loved to learn everything put in front of her. But today Sirius had worked him till he could work no more.

Everything he had learnt or re-learnt he had to take notes on, even though all his lessons were practical. He was then expected to read theory behind spells before the lesson, as Sirius would give him a brief outline of what would occur in the next lesson. If that was not enough, his _dear _godfather had told him to clear out his trunk and read through every book he had ever bought, and to note down the spells and their effects. Sirius was proving to be worse than Snape.

Speaking of the Potions Master, Harry had been shocked when he had finished Defense to find Sirius summoning a cauldron and putting in front of him a recipe for a potion that cured boils. To his immense surprise he made the simple potion without hassle, Sirius bottling it for later. Apparently he owed Moony a prank, Harry saying he wished to know no more.

He had never been so happy to leave the kitchen, for that was where all his lessons took place. The table was put away for his practical lessons, but for Potions and taking notes it was placed back. Harry however, felt like breaking the thing over the slave drivers head, knowing full well the next day would not get any easier. It also did not improve his mood when he remembered he had _detention_ later on.

"Detention," growled Harry as he lay upon his bed, ignoring Phineas as he snorted. "This day cannot get any worse."

"Maybe not for you," spoke Phineas silkily.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry rolling onto his back to look at the pompous portrait.

"It's not really my place to say really," he sighed. "Then again you probably know about Dolores Umbridge being the Defense Against the Dark Arts tutor."

"Evil toad that has a thing against anything not fully wizard or witch."

The former headmaster inclined his head to imply he was correct. "Well then perhaps you would be interested to know that she works for Ministry-"

"I thought she had taken the Defense job?" said Harry cutting across the portrait.

"It is rude to interrupt when one is talking!"

Harry rolled his eyes at Phineas, the portrait giving him a glare before continuing.

"As I was saying she works for the Ministry as well as tutoring at Hogwarts. Though I'm afraid her teaching skills will be something of a joke, there is more to a Hogwarts Professor than merely telling them to read a book!"

"Just reading that boring Defense book?" Harry asked unable to believe what he was hearing. "What about using magic?"

"She is from the Ministry and _their new methods_ are meant to bring a new life to Hogwarts teaching," spoke Phineas sarcastically. "Be thankful you're not there this year, for you would surely be her little scapegoat."

"I take it because I told the world Voldemort's back?"

"For a Gryffindor you do have some brains," chuckled Phineas before looking at his watch and sighing. "Well as much as I would love to spend my time here, I have more important matters to discuss with those who have more brain power than you could ever hope to have."

"For a Slytherin you aren't that bad to talk to, though you can be a complete git," replied Harry receiving a glare from the portrait. "Whoops you heard that did you?"

"Back in my day…" Phineas had begun to mutter, but Harry did not hear the rest as he had walked out of his frame.

"Slimy snake," muttered Harry his head hitting the pillow, ready for sleep to take him.

"I heard that!"

-o-

"How did you get stuck here?" asked Tonks as the two threw rubbish into a big bag.

Sirius had given him instructions to throw everything away in his room. His godfather had cleared everything out he wanted kept, and told the two to completely demolish the room using whatever spells were necessary. So Harry happily set his godfather's bed on fire. He had been given another detention for destruction of his godfather's property. Sirius had not cared about the bed, but the several magazines of _Playwizard_ he had been hiding between his sheets from Molly.

"Asked for the day off," replied Harry, who picked up a few un-burnt pages of Playwizard. His eyes widened when looking over the pages. "I can see why Sirius was so upset."

"Pervert."

Harry looked to Tonks who herself was looking over the pages over his shoulder.

"You're one to talk," replied Harry.

"I've seen this all before, while you on the other hand-"

Harry hastily threw the remaining pages in the bag.

"Wonder what people would say if I said Harry Potter enjoyed _glancing_ through Playwizard."

"Normal teenage boy who has urges just like anyone else," offered Harry with a grin.

"Sirius told you to say that, didn't he?"

"Yeah."

Tonks chuckled as the two worked in silence, eventually cleaning out the entire room until only the walls with Gryffindor banners, half naked woman on motorbikes, and photos from Hogwarts of the Marauders remained.

"We're done you filthy mutt!" shouted Harry opening the door.

"You do realize you'll get more detentions right?" said Tonks looking around the now empty room.

"I've got blackmail," said Harry grinning.

Sirius barged into the room with a huge smile and looked pleased at what he saw. "Excellent, excellent! Just how I expected it, but Harry; detention for calling me a filthy mutt."

"I'll tell Mrs. Weasley I found Playwizard magazines in your room," replied Harry with a triumphant grin, watching as Sirius seemed to shrink. "But if you were to forget about my detentions and move my lessons from ten till five, I could probably forget."

Sirius glared at his godson and then at Tonks who was laughing into her hand. He looked at the ceiling before muttering something the two did not hear before answering. "Five thirty."

Harry glared at his godfather, but decided to accept it nodded in agreement.

"Fine then, no detentions and lessons from ten till five thirty."

"Thanks Professor Padfoot!" Harry said happily. "Now I don't know about you, but I'm hungry!" With that he left the room to Sirius cursing and Tonks' laughter.

-o-

Harry sat alone in the kitchen after a long day, sipping on a nice warm Butterbeer that seemed to make his entire day of working worthwhile. Though he had been worked to bone, he could not help but feel satisfied with what he had learned. Transfiguration was as awkward as ever, but fun nonetheless since it Sirius teaching him. He was a slave driver without a doubt, but he knew how to get results out of somebody.

"You okay there Harry?" asked Tonks coming into the kitchen looking very tired. She wore her typical style of jeans and a t-shirt, her spiky pink hair not clashing surprisingly. However, in the blink of an eye it turned to long and purple.

"Fine," replied Harry with a smile. "Drink?"

"Firwhiskey?"

Harry avoided her gaze before hearing an unladylike grunt.

"He's taken the bottle hasn't he?" she asked Harry, who refused to look her way. "Harry as your close and personal friend – "

"We're that close?" Harry asked earning a smack on the arm.

"Becoming far too much like Sirius," she grumbled taking a seat next to him.

"Really?" he said, summoning her a Butterbeer.

"Yeah, I mean would you have gone ahead with the prank that caused the entire kitchen and hall to fill with bubbles if I had asked you?"

"Depends how persuasive you were."

"Again! Sirius's evil influence! Harry Potter is flirting with me!"

Harry blushed slightly, having to agree that he had not felt the need to worry about the outside world when he was with Sirius. His godfather was just so carefree that it was hard to worry about Voldemort and apart from that moment, he had not thought about the snake since that morning. His playful and not so innocent nature just rubbed off on you.

"He's giving you lessons on how to lie and flirt isn't he?" Tonks said leaning in further. "My cousin is attempting to make you into a mini-him. I knew it!"

Harry gave it away as his grin grew to monumental proportions and he decided to gulp down some Butterbeer to avoid answering.

"Well I say the lessons are working, you're joking around and not thinking about the outside world, flirting with innocent – hey I'm innocent!"

The Gryffindor had snorted when Tonks had called herself innocent and received another smack on the arm. "I'm sorry Tonks, but I just can't see you being innocent, if anything I'd say you're like Sirius and are going to try and corrupt me in someway or form."

"Maybe I am," she said squeezing his leg.

"Nymphadora are you flirting with me?" Harry asked, only to receive another smack on the arm. By the way this conversation was going; he would need to visit Madam Pomfrey.

"I swear I'm going to undo Sirius's corruption and get Remus to corrupt you instead," she grumbled. "His habits are just basic ones such as eating too much chocolate, drinking tea and reading an entire library within days."

"Not as innocent as you think," chuckled Harry watching Tonks' eyes go as large as plates. "Besides, if Sirius gets his way I'll probably be initiated into the Marauders at some point."

"Great, another Marauder," groaned Tonks placing her head in her arms. "At least Sirius will be happy, then again I never saw how happy he could be until you turned up here. Then when you got expelled, while he wasn't corrupting you he was planning these lessons and thinking up things for you two to do when the others where back at school. Even today when you left his room he was jumping around like a little kid, happy that you had actually blackmailed him."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"You're the one that makes him grin stupidly, crack rude jokes and play pranks on his supposed best friend – "

"He gave Remus boils already?"

"No that's tomorrow morning," chuckled Tonks. "But see what I mean, you mean so much to him. Just don't start having romantic feelings for him; otherwise you'll break a lot of girls' hearts."

"Argh, Tonks!" said Harry jumping up and shaking physically. "That's my godfather!"

"Sorry, I'm just – "

"You realize I'll have to get you back for this," he replied thinking of anything but what she said.

"Try it Potter," was her reply grinning madly.

"Don't worry Nympha – " but he ducked to avoid her spell, and ran from the kitchen Tonks following.

"Get back here you scar headed git! No one calls me that!"


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Own nothing of Harry Potter and if I did, then Harry/Ginny would not have happened. Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 5

Occlumency and Legilimency

-o-

"Okay Prongslet nice and easy now."

"_Fera Verto!_ Damn!"

"It was a good try."

"Moony my goblet has the fur of a mouse and has eyes!"

"Can I use it to scare Padfoot?"

Life with Sirius and Remus (when he was not doing Order work) was never boring, if anything it was better than Hogwarts since he had much more fun. After his first day of lessons Remus had decided to get involved in his education. When seeing Sirius's lesson plans he had promptly cursed his best friend to the point were he had to take the day off.

During that day Remus advised him on several spells he found helped him to progress in his classes, while using Harry's owl to send a rather long letter. When the Boy-Who-Lived had asked him about it, the werewolf merely smiled and tapped his nose. The wolf had received an owl later that day, which was carrying a shrunken package. Remus had given Harry the rest of the day off and then locked himself in the drawing room. He returned to the kitchen during dinner, giving Harry a new timetable along with a new outline for his lessons.

Harry found out that he was to study the subjects he had been doing at Hogwarts apart from Divination, not that he was complaining, the lesson itself was awful and crystal balls were only good for chucking at Sirius. Speaking of his godfather, he had not been very happy to hear about Remus taking control over Harry's education. The Azkaban escapee had promptly caused several nasty boils to rise up on the werewolf's face, after he had recovered from his best friend's curses from the previous day. It was only through promising he would not take complete control, and buying more Firewhiskey that Remus was given the potion Harry had made in his first Potions lesson.

Sirius however, had not minded Remus going out to purchase several books for Harry's education.

"_Why you didn't take Arithmancy and Ancient Runes is beyond me, they would have been sensible choices," Remus had said as he placed several bags of books on the table, which had the Flourish and Blotts logo on each one._

"_You only took those subjects because of that Ravenclaw," Sirius had said with a smile, causing his friend to flush._

"_Yes...well...is that the time?" Remus had quickly left to the laughter of Harry and Sirius, before the two begun to search through the books._

"_Why has he got me sixth and seventh year books?" Harry had asked Sirius, looking over Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six and Seven._

"_We've got tons of time here Harry," Sirius had said looking over the many books that had been purchased. "Which means we could even get you on your NEWT course aims soon enough."_

"_You reckon I'll be able to take the OWL tests?"_

"_Pretty sure, Voldemort will show himself soon enough and when he does they'll have no choice but to un-expel you."_

"_Is un-expel even a word?" Harry had asked grinning, his godfather chuckling going through the books before stopping, his eyes widening. "What?"_

_Sirius said no words, but simply held up the book Curses and Counter-Curses (Bewitch your Friend and Befuddle your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and much, much more) by Professor Vindictus Viridian._

_Harry stared in awe, taking the book from Sirius and quickly flicking through it unable to believe his eyes. "I remember seeing this book before I went Hogwarts. Wanted to find out how to curse Dudley."_

"_We're going to have so much with this," Sirius had said giddily. "We can practise on Snape!"_

Harry smiled at the memory, reluctantly concentrating on the spell he had once again messed up. It was infuriating to him that he could not perform spells he had performed fine in his second year, but struggled to now. It took all his restraint not to throw his copy of _The Beginners Guide to Transfiguration_ at Remus.

"I'll save this for later," said Remus taking the hideous goblet and putting it in the cupboard. He then went into the box of mice he had borrowed from Minerva with her consent, and pulled out another one. "Now Harry it's really easy – "

"Wotcher!" said Tonks entering the kitchen, wearing a muggle music t-shirt and rather loose fitting jeans, and sporting long deep blue hair.

"Hey Tonks," replied the two.

"What you doing?" she asked brightly placing her hands on Harry's shoulders, looking over his head. "Turning mice into goblets, isn't that second year stuff?"

"Yes Tonks, we're just making sure Harry knows all this before we progress onto his fifth year spells. My belief is that once he feels comfortable with everything from first to fourth year verbally and non-verbally, he will be able to take this knowledge and apply to what he will learn in fifth year, and beyond if we get through the requirements for his Transfiguration OWL."

"I was only asking if it was second year stuff Professor," she chuckled, Remus's cheeks going pink.

"Harry, it's simple come on, I'll lead you through it." With that she grabbed his hand gently and lifted it into the air, beginning to make the required wand movements. "You're probably far too stiff and you get annoyed when you can't do spells correctly."

"I'm fine in Defense," he replied, noticing her hand felt rather soft.

"Defense is different to Transfiguration because your wand movements are not so complicated. I mean what's the point in having several movements if you're throwing a stunner? In Transfiguration you just need to be more delicate with your movements, not as much in Charms though in case you're worrying. Now try the incantation."

"_Fera Verto!_" To his disbelief the mouse turned into the goblet he had thought up, red and gold with the Gryffindor crest.

"See; and nice decoration as well, just make sure your movements are more delicate than forceful and you'll soon get through those nasty second spells. Finish your OWL requirements, and I'll teach you a few _things_."

A kiss on his cheek later and she had gone off to find Sirius, Harry now blushing furiously while Remus looked on amused.

"She only did that to get back at me for calling her Nymphadora a few nights ago, still got that bruise from when she whipped me up in the hall," grumbled Harry, while mentally noting to himself he had to get Tonks back. He owed her two now.

Remus however, seemed to ignore this and smiled, as if knowing something he didn't. "If I held your hand, practically whispered in your ear and promised you a kiss each time you successfully performed a spell, would you get through this work at a quicker rate?"

"Moony."

"Yes Prongslet?"

"_Levicorpus!_" Harry watched with delight as Remus flew up into the air, the werewolf glaring menacingly at him. It did not help Remus's situation at all that his wand was laying innocently on the table below. "Now Moony, for some reason you've broken out in girlish giggles and I can't figure out what to do."

"Prongslet let me down! We've got a lesson to finish!"

"But Moony how can you teach me if you're giggling like one of the many girls that followed Padfoot around Hogwarts?" Harry asked with a grin.

"They were following me," replied Remus with a smile before something dawned on him. "Wait, I'm not giggling?" His eyes seemed to widen when Harry raised his wand. "No! Prongslet no! I'll put you in detention if you do it!"

"That's going to stop me?"

"Yes?" said Remus hopeful.

"No, _Gauisus Quod Impleo!_" Harry watched with satisfaction as Remus broke into girlish giggles while glaring at him. It was a rather strange, but an amusing sight nonetheless. "Moony you're no help to my education and I think it best I take the rest of the lesson off."

"Don't...you...dare!" he got between giggles.

"If a Marauder begins a plan, he follows it through to the end," said Harry putting his things away. "See you later Professor."

"Prongslet...detention!"

"Say that with a straight face without giggling," chuckled Harry, putting his chair under the table and walking towards the kitchen door. "See you later Moony!"

"Prongslet!"

Harry didn't look back, but stopped when a sudden crashing occurred behind him. Turning around, he found Remus using the table to get to his feet. His eyes widened when the wolf grabbed his wand and waved it over himself cancelling the Cheering Charm, a small smile on his lips when looking to Harry.

"Prongslet get here."

Not bothering to answer Harry ran.

"Get here right now!"

-o-

Harry groaned as he waved his wand around the attic, dust forming into tiny balls before flying out of the window to explode. The first few times he performed this household spell, he had thought it rather fun and it had passed a few minutes. It was now an hour later and the attic was still laden with dust. "Bloody Moony, only missed the last half an hour."

"You alive up there Prongslet?" yelled Sirius climbing up the ladder.

"Appropriate question there Padfoot," Harry yelled back, forming several more balls of dust before firing them out of the window.

Sirius came up through the hatch grinning, wearing a set of old black robes. "Moony's punishment is rather harsh," he said looking around the cluttered area.

The attic itself was huge, but instead of the space being used as another bedroom, it was instead used as storage, containing mountains of boxes from Merlin knew when. From the few he had opened, there had been old ball gowns, several items that he guessed had something to do with alchemy, old books and several containing old wizarding photographs, all who waved up at him frantically. It also had one large window that faced the back of the house, which had not been opened for what he guessed a few years, until he had rather forcefully opened it. The Reductor Curse had always been one of Harry's favorites.

"Moony's punishment is harsh, he's already had me clean all three floors of the house and now this!" growled Harry. "You'd think he'd have forgiven me by now."

"It's been three days Harry, missing lessons to Moony is a sin. Me and James did it once in fifth year leading up to our OWLs and he refused to talk to us until we brought him gifts of chocolate and Firewhiskey. It was only then he lent us his History of Magic notes." Sirius took a seat on what looked to be a steady oak chair, seconds later however, it collapsed sending Harry into gales of laughter. "Wish I hadn't told how to get back on Moony's good side now."

"Sorry Padfoot, but you try and find entertainment with banishing dust balls out of the window," moaned Harry, creating several more. "I tried creating a huge one but it exploded."

"Harry why not just vanish it all?" said Sirius stating the obvious, jumping to his feet and wiping down his worn robes.

"Don't know how."

"Let me then." Sirius then in a second, did what Harry been attempting to do for over an hour and vanished all the dust. "Voila!"

Harry ran his hand along one of the boxes, shockingly no dust forming on his finger. "How did you do that?"

"Vanishing spell is a fifth year spell," said Sirius going into lecture mode. "The idea of the spell is to transport the item your vanishing from place to another."

"So it's a bit like a Switching spell?"

"Yes and no, with the Switching spell you're swapping two objects place while the Vanishing spell is just sending things one-way. The dust that I've just vanished then, should be at the moment flying through the air separating and disappearing into nothingness Merlin knows where."

"You've just sent the dust to a place you've never seen?"

"No, I've sent the dust to a place I've seen, but can't remember where. I can't remember every broom journey I've been on Harry, but I've been quite high up in the air. By simply remembering a place where you've been, doesn't matter if you can't remember when, but you can picture that scene, it's simple to simply vanish it there."

Harry looked on impressed as Sirius begun to look through the boxes, the Boy-Who-Lived bursting out into laughter when his godfather pulled out some dress robes like Ron had wore at the Yule Ball the previous year. The only difference was they were green and silver.

"Bloody hideous," said Sirius in disgust. "All this stuff needs to go, but I can't just vanish it all. Perhaps give it to one of those muggle charity shops?"

"Wizards and witches robes to a muggle charity shop?"

"Guess not then," groaned Sirius going through some more boxes, stopping when in the middle of looking into a crystal ball. "Funny how life throws things your way isn't it?"

"What you talking about?" Harry asked, he was now inspecting what looked to be a Shooting Star broom.

"I didn't come up here to tell you about Vanishing spells or look through this junk," Sirius said taking a seat on the dust free floor.

Harry eyed his godfather curiously while taking a seat next to him, then watching as he played with some loose cotton on his robes. "What did you come here to tell me about, you and Moony finally decided on a date then?"

Sirius chuckled, ruffling Harry's hair. "Little git, your father used to say the same thing to Moony and me at Hogwarts. When it wasn't your dad and I, it was Moony and I causing trouble. You wouldn't think it, but Moony was quite the prankster, just didn't get caught often enough to get knowing looks from our Professors.

"Wormtail...he wasn't such a bad guy before he...always the quiet one out of us all. Like Moony in the way he didn't get caught as often, not that he contributed much...but we always took him under our wing, tutored him to help pass his classes."

"Why did you make friends with Wormtail?" Harry asked curious, surprised that Sirius was talking about the man who had betrayed his own friends.

"There were four Gryffindor boys in our year, Moony was quiet, but we became friends easily though I was skeptical of the fact that he was ill every month. Wormtail...Wormtail we felt sorry for. The first month he struggled with learning, didn't really talk much and...it was your dad who started to help him. Lily did at first, but when your dad started helping she left him to it."

"Why?"

"One, she couldn't stand him, two, because it would be wrong if he didn't. There were four boys in our year remember, three of us got on well, the fourth was a bit of an outsider. I think she thought that it was our duty to stand by him." Sirius bowed his head, running a hand through his hair. "She was right in what she did...but I bet she didn't see the person she helped as an eleven year old would turn around and lead her to her death."

"No one did, you said it yourself it was the perfect bluff," sighed Harry, his mind focusing on the image of his parents smiling happily at him. "Neville Longbottom is a bit like that, he's the odd one out. Me and Ron became friends instantly, Dean and Seamus are together practically all the time and Neville...so much for being like my dad eh?"

"You're a mixture of your mum and dad Harry, besides we never had to deal with the things you have," Sirius said proudly. "Our first year consisted of getting detention and pranking while yours was filled with facing death one too many times. Once you get back to Hogwarts I'm sure you can make it up to Neville."

"If I get back," said Harry with a small smile. "As long as Voldemort is hiding, I'm never going back."

"You don't sound too fussed."

"Why should I be?" Harry said laughing. "I'm learning from the Marauders, getting to know my parents best friends and learning about them. Knowing Remus's determination, I'll probably be able to pass my NEWTs by the end of the year."

"The way it should be," said Sirius with a smile. "I heard from Tonks that Hermione tried to convince you think of going to a foreign school?"

"Yeah," chuckled Harry. "She said I should consider Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, but I told her that if I needed to learn I would do from you and whoever was around. How did Tonks know?"

"Hermione talked to her about it that night you were staring at my cousin's bosoms," said Sirius laughing, while Harry found the ceiling rather fascinating. "Tonks knew about my lessons and merely told her not to worry and that you were in good hands. Of course Hermione apparently frowned, and said that she would see Professor McGonagall the moment she got back to Hogwarts."

"Surprise, surprise," chuckled Harry. "I wasn't worried...haven't really had much to worry about since I've been expelled. Rather refreshing, makes a change from worrying about what stupid thing I'll do next or old Snakeface."

Sirius smiled, but it did not seem very real. "I think you should Prongslet...there's something I've been thinking about since your scar last hurt around Dumbledore."

"You've been thinking?" Harry asked laughing, Sirius glaring playfully before his happy features slowly begun to turn somber. "Merlin, you're serious."

"Of course I am," sighed Sirius running his hand through his hair. "This connection you have with him...it's scaring me a lot...I've been up a few nights worrying, hashing it out with Dumbledore after the meetings to try and figure it out."

"I just feel his emotions and sometimes see inside his head," shrugged Harry.

"That's part of what has me worried, because if you can feel his emotions and see inside his head...what if he can do the same in return?"

Harry felt his blood run cold.

"That look you're giving me was the same one Moony did last night," said Sirius meeting Harry's gaze. "While I've been thinking about your connection, I've also being doing research with the books here and the ones Moony supplied me with. Your scar is one of a kind Harry, it's very unusual and...I think if we aren't careful bad things can happen."

"What do you mean?" asked Harry, unsure if he wanted to know.

"This is merely guesswork here by me, but going on what I know of Voldemort, he's an Occlumens and Legilimens. Now an Occlumens is someone who can protect their thoughts and feelings, and a Legilimens is someone who is able to search through someone's mind."

"I'm not liking the sound of this," said Harry wanting to be ill.

"Now you know why I've been thinking a lot and why I'm deciding to teach you Occlumency, the Defense of the mind."

Harry looked around the room, hoping someone would jump out and say surprise. He wanted to suddenly wake up and for all this to be a dream. But it wasn't going to happen, it never did. "So then...I learn this and it stops him entering my mind?"

"In theory yes," replied Sirius, not sounding very convinced. "As I said your connection is unique and for all we know it may or may not work. But knowing our luck, Voldemort could send you emotions and possibly read your mind...maybe even going as far to send you his thoughts."

"Could I do it in return?" Harry asked.

"You could if you learned Legilimency, but by foc – "

"Then let me learn both, if he's going to try and ruin my life from afar I'm going to try and ruin his," growled Harry jumping to his feet. "Come on, I want to learn this stuff now."

Sirius looked up at his godson, a huge grin forming on his lips. "I thought you weren't going to worry about old Snakeface."

"I'm not, I just want to send him a memory of me mooning him in the mirror," replied Harry returning a grin, Sirius's bark like laughter filling the attic.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Don't own HP, never have, never will, enjoy! Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 6

Hero

-o-

The two had not begun his Occlumency training immediately due to Sirius unable to stop giggling at the idea of mooning Voldemort. Another reason was that he did not have the required material so that Harry could read up on the subject. The only advice Sirius gave him was to clear his mind of all thought before he went to sleep. This was simply clearing your mind of all thought, not thinking about anything at all before you slept.

Harry attempted it that night and found that his dreams were none existent, except for one about a long, windowless corridor with a door leading to Merlin knew where. He told Sirius about it and he seemed to go from shocked to cheerful within a second, telling him he probably ate cheese before he went to sleep. The Gryffindor decided to ignore the dream; he had actually had a cheese sandwich before going to sleep as Sirius had magnificently burnt the chicken that they did plan to have. It was the last time he gave his godfather a chance in the kitchen.

"Heard anything from Moony?" Harry asked Sirius the next morning coming down to the unusually warm kitchen, understanding why when finding the fire blazing.

"He should be back in the next few days," mumbled Sirius from behind the paper, Harry having to look twice at the front page of the Prophet, finding a toad like woman on the front.

"Who's the toad?" Harry asked, positive he had seen her somewhere before.

"Same woman Moony hates with a vengeance and who is teaching at glorious Hogwarts," spat Sirius, continuing to read the paper in disgust. "Successful my arse."

"What's it saying?" asked Harry not really wanting to know.

"It says that the dirty Toad has helped to revolutionise Defence Against the Dark Arts, says that some eccentric decisions…THOSE BASTARDS! HOW DARE THEY SAY THAT ABOUT HIM!"

"What?"

"They're blatantly putting out there that Moony's a damn werewolf! I swear if I ever get the chance, Fudge and all his little minions are going to – "

"Regret ever saying anything when Voldemort comes out into the open," said Harry hastily. "It's public knowledge anyway thanks to the legislation the Toad passed a few years back. Who is the one quoting that she's a success?"

"Percy Weasley," growled Sirius, Harry wondering if it was against the law to castrate someone for backstabbing their family and for being a complete prat. "Stupid idiot, he's going to be one of many grovelling on his knees for our forgiveness when Voldemort comes out into the open."

"We could always send those Ministry prats a few samples of Hippogriff dung," offered Harry.

Sirius looked up with a smile on his lips and closed the paper, slamming it down on the table.

"We've got a Hippogriff that drops the stuff by the brick! We can find a box or two around here, cast some Preservation Charms on the stuff, make sure the smell doesn't the leave the box until opened, and when it is – "

"We make sure it blows up in their faces?" Harry added hopeful. Some people deserved to be shit faced.

Sirius wiped away a fake tear gazing at Harry. "I've never been so proud of you in my whole life, apart from the time you peed in your dad's face."

Harry grinned taking a seat at the table and grabbed the paper, going straight to the Quidditch section.

-o-

_Hey Harry_

_Nothing much happening here mate other than that Umbridge cow being made Higher Inquisitor, you've probably heard about that and Sturgis being put in prison. Hermione's currently moaning about me sending this in a letter, but who's going to be interested in things they already know?_

_Women, I know mate, and by the way Hermione hits harder than I thought as I've just found out. But guess what! I was made Keeper for the team and Ginny's been named Seeker! Lessons are as fun as ever, Malloy's being a bigger git than usual and that's it! – Ron_

_Honestly Ronald! There are more important things than Quidditch and you'll be getting cursed the next time you say something like that! I'm sorry about the prat Harry, how are you? Now I hope you're studying and not falling behind. Don't you dare smirk! I spoke to Professor McGonagall about your studies but she has told me it's already being taken care of. I will want to see how you're progressing the moment we see each other again!_

_Since we've been back, Umbridge is really attempting to sap the life out of Hogwarts and seems determined to silence any rumours of Voldemort being back. (Ron flinched; we'll have to work on that.) I think our post could be getting read and the only reason we're sending this is because Fred and George offered to go the Post Office in Hogsmeade. Take care and study – Love Hermione_

_Hello our investor friend! Don't worry, we're doing our bit while Hermione isn't looking over our shoulder, __**far too nosy for her own good that one is. **__By the way, I'm Gred and __**I'm Forge! Now you better be causing trouble for our mother and your godfather better be corrupting you the way he only can. Somebody needs to take over our pranking duties while we're not there and who better than the son of a Marauder?**_

_Forge makes a good point Prongslet (thank Sirius for this) and you should be raising as much hell as possible. You've got a perfectly good wand, so there should be no reason for you not to take over from us. We may even join you soon enough if things continue the way they do. Umbridge is pushing her luck, __**calling you a liar**__, and telling us to believe the Ministry like our idiot brother. __**Don't worry, we stand by Harry Potter, Hero, Snake Slayer, and our investor who will help our dream come true. I'm now shedding a tear.**_

_As I'm I dear brother, as I'm I…any who, have fun and keep up the struggle against those who want a prank free life. We may join you soon enough – Gred & __**Forge!**_

_Hello Harry, I hope you're well and doing as the Twins said and not staying out of trouble. Just quickly saying that everyone misses you, yes even my idiot brother. When Hermione's off studying you can see him spending time with Neville, though it clearly isn't the same. Even Hermione misses nagging you over homework. Even I do, feels weird playing in your position during Quidditch._

_Hope you are keeping busy, studying or not and so you know we're all looking forward to seeing you at Christmas – Love Ginny_

Harry grinned while reading the Twins part of the letter. The Gryffindor knew full well if they joined he and Sirius at Grimmauld Place it would be memorable, and that their mother would be far from pleased. Then again he knew she'd probably skin him and Twins alive if she found out about what he did with the Triwizard winnings.

"_Could do with a few laughs_," thought Harry, the last few weeks having been far from pleasant for both himself and the Order. For him his life had been a mixture of his lessons with Sirius, learning Occlumency and Legilimency, which were harder than he first thought and worrying about Remus with Sirius, the werewolf yet to get in contact with them and it had been over two weeks. Remus had gone on a mission for the Order saying that he would be back within a few days, but after a few days had passed there had been no word.

Sirius had gone as far to floo Dumbledore, the Headmaster telling him the floo network could be being watched and that he would inform them if he heard from Remus. His godfather had not been pleased, spending the rest of the day cursing and worrying. All Harry could do was say everything would be all right, but he knew nothing of Remus's mission so for all he knew the werewolf could be in serious danger.

The Order also had more bad news when Sturgis Podmore was sent to Azkaban for attempting to get through a top security door, Dumbledore unable to do a thing to help the man who would spend six months at the prison guarded by Dementors. With two members on hiatus with only a few months gone since Voldemort's return, things were not looking good.

The Ministry were being bigger prats than ever, word coming from Kingsley that Fudge was spitting feathers…well dung in one situation as a mysterious parcel arrived and when opened dung exploded into his face, along with several others. He had been far from pleased and had demanded whoever had brought him the package be fired. Percy Weasley had only saved his job through pleading that it passed all the checks, and that the only other way it could have been checked was if it had been opened.

Even at Hogwarts things sounded terrible, Umbridge's new job as Higher Inquisitor allowed the toad to inspect other Professors and deem them worthy or not to teach, when really it was her subject that needed inspection. Her lessons were awful according to word from within Hogwarts; the only thing keeping her from being sacked was that there was nobody willing to take the job. It also helped that the Ministry was behind her a hundred percent.

Harry sighed aloud, putting the letter down and wishing that he could see his friends and Remus, just to see with his own eyes that everything was okay. Even his lessons though going well, were not the same due to Remus being a much better tutor. Nothing against Sirius, but Remus concentrated on work first and foremost. His godfather on the other hand was all for causing trouble during the middle of a lesson, it was very distracting but fun nonetheless.

"Okay there Harry?"

The Boy-Who-Lived looked to the kitchen door finding Tonks standing there, smiling brightly even though the bags under her eyes told a different story. She stumbled over to him, taking a seat at the table and resting her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so tired," she mumbled, the bright Tonks disappearing instantly.

"Your mood changes are amazing," chuckled Harry. He and Tonks had been speaking more lately, they would talk late into the night about nothing really important, just spending time together laughing at stupid things, such as Sirius sending Kreacher to work at Hogwarts, the elf having a fit before eventually cracking away. When they did speak, Harry had begun to see the Auror in a new light, noticing things he hadn't before.

A prime example was that she seemed to take each step slowly to avoid falling over and was more cautious with her movements. She would bite her bottom lip when in deep thought, or would change her hair color, length and style until whatever she was thinking about came to mind. The Auror also loved to match her eye color to her hair, but had been using green a lot lately.

Coming out of his thoughts, Harry wrapped an arm around the Auror's shoulders and sighed. "Tell Uncle Harry what's wrong."

"I'm older than you nitwit!" she said, having enough strength to smack him upside the head.

"Physically yes," he replied earning another smack. "I deserved that, but mentally no. I deserved that one as well." He laughed when Tonks gave him another smack and then stuck her tongue out at him.

"Do you ever go to work, you seem to spend all your time here with me and Sirius."

"I do go to work, I just spend the amount of time I'm meant to spend there before coming back here or going to my parents," was her reply, taking her arms out of the sleeves of her robes and wrapping them around herself. "Bloody freezing in here."

Harry smiled and picked up his wand and sent several jets of fire at the fireplace, the room seeming to warm up instantly. "Better?"

"Much," was her reply, snuggling into him. "If we're caught here now like this, Sirius would say something inappropriate."

"Like that's something new," chuckled Harry, rubbing her arms to try and warm her up faster. "Has Bill warded your place yet?"

"No, he says he'll get round to it, but he seems to be spending ridiculous amounts of time with that Fleur girl," she moaned. "You'd think he could just spend a few hours without her to ward my place. It wouldn't take him that long."

"Between spending time with Fleur and warding your place, what would you pick?" Harry asked with a grin, her shoulder nudging him.

"I don't swing that way," she growled.

"Bugger," groaned Harry earning another nudge. "Merlin, woman!"

"Getting as bad as Sirius," Tonks grumbled, sitting closer to the Gryffindor. "Much changed since I last seen you?"

"Not really, lessons today went quite well, Padfoot is upstairs nursing his ego after I beat him in our little mini-duel and we've still not heard from Moony. Apart from that nothings really changed since yesterday."

"Neither has your dress sense," chuckled Tonks, lifting her head of his shoulder and looking over his overlarge grey jumper and baggy jeans that were two sizes too big. "You should really get some new clothes, preferably ones that fit you."

"I'd love to, but there are more important things going on," shrugged Harry, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "I've been used to Dudley's old things for years now."

"Shouldn't have to," mumbled Tonks, placing her head back on his shoulder. "Have to make sure you get some clothes of your own before you leave here next. Can't have you walking around in those rags."

Harry smiled and rested his head on hers sighing heavily, his mind drifting to his werewolf mentor who he was missing. "What's Moony up to Tonks?" He felt Tonks snuggle into him, clearly not wanting to answer his question. "Come on Tonks, I'm worried about him. Padfoot won't even say and he's worried sick."

Remus had left the day after he had cleaned the attic, telling him he would be fine and be back in a few days. That had been over two weeks ago and no one had seen hide or hair of him. What made it worse was that Harry had been told nothing of his mission, the werewolf saying it was safer this way and that he should concentrate on his lessons and not worry about him.

Harry himself had used that "don't worry about me" line so many times, he never realised how much people did worry when they heard that from someone they cared about.

"I can't say Harry," she said sadly, disdain clear in her voice.

"Have any clue when he'll be back?"

"Nobody knows."

Harry sighed heavily, his thoughts for the hundredth time that day drifting to the werewolf who had become more like an Uncle in the time he had spent with the man. They had been together only a week along with Sirius, and already the two felt like his family. His own family like the way Ron and Hermione had theirs.

"Is there anyway I can help?" Harry asked in a last ditch attempt.

Tonks lifted her head off his shoulder again, this time giving him a warm smile instead of criticising his dress sense. "Keep learning what you need to learn and he'll be happy. He hates it when people worry about him so try not to. I found that the more you worry about someone, it causes your mind to go into overdrive and you start to think the worst."

"I'm just like him in that sense," said Harry with a small smile. "I hate it when people worry about me, but when it comes to others I can't help but worry."

"Heroes can't expect things to be just one way," chuckled Tonks, Harry scowling at her. "Don't deny it Harry, you are a hero and will be forever as you sacrifice your own happiness and risk your life to help others."

"I'm no hero," said Harry shaking his head. "Just a guy who wants to do the right thing and live the quiet life."

"Definition of a "hero" is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Ring a bell Hero?" she asked, Harry rubbing the back of his neck with a small smile.

"You've been looking through Moony's dictionaries again haven't you?" asked Harry, watching as Tonks grinned in response. "You see me as a man?"

"I'm not blind like some people," replied Tonks. "I agree with Sirius, you were a man the moment you had to face that monster."

Harry looked into her eyes and could tell that she meant every word, those purple orbs seeming to pierce his very soul as they stared back. A small grin formed on his lips, the Gryffindor watching as Tonks changed her eyes to match his. "You scare me sometimes when you do that."

"Good to know," replied the Auror with a wink rising from her seat, placing her arms back through sleeves of her black Auror robes. "Got to go the loo."

"Thanks for telling me that," said Harry rolling his eyes.

"Back in a bit Hero."

Harry scowled as she left, but found that he did not mind when she called him Hero. It did fit him a little when he thought about it, he was selfless, but that did not mean he wanted to be called it as he walked down the street. "Hero," mused Harry, the word sounded foreign to him. "More like lucky git."

-o-

The next few days passed with Sirius concentrating on his Occlumency and Legilimency, which was coming along slowly but surely. There were so many bridges to cross to become an Occlumens and Legilimens that he and Sirius agreed that they would aim to become at least adept at the art, as mastering them could take many years.

A Master of Occlumency could keep his emotions in check at all times, store his memories in whatever way he chose and build layers of shields around individual memories, then around groups and then around the entire mind. A basic student of Occlumency could merely clear his mind of all thought, and decide what thoughts the person attempting to break into the mind would see. They could also set simple shields around the mind, letting them know of intrusion and using safe guards such as memories that would alert the Occlumens to an attack.

A Master of Legilimency could read a persons mind like an open book and if faced with an Occlumens shields, could work on the shields surrounding the mind, taking them apart like a Curse Breaker would a ward, they could also tell when they were being lied to. They could also search through someone's mind like they would a book, not being bounded with memories, but merely looking through the ones that they wished to see. A person knowing the basics of Legilimency could read the surface thoughts of a persons mind, send them memories if gaining a strong enough connection, and even know what spell a person was going to use in a duel, blocking it before they even began the incantation or while in the middle of casting a spell.

"I can clear my mind for a few seconds before memories start to slip in," said Harry during their Friday morning lesson, which happened to be a double.

"I found that finding something to stare at and concentrating solely on it helps to clear the mind best," said Sirius rubbing his head, having just had to witness Harry have a Lockhart lesson. "Did he really set Cornish Pixies onto a second year class without teaching the Freezing Charm?"

"The guy cared more about his hair than the job," Harry replied rubbing his temple. "To think he tried to act like he was more famous than me. To think all the opportunities to embarrass him I had and didn't take."

"Don't worry about it Harry, I'm sure you'll win _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming-Smile award soon enough. They'll probably ask what type of underwear you wear."

"Thongs all the way," joked Harry, Sirius bark like laughter filling the kitchen.

"Your father would turn in his grave," came a familiar voice.

Both Sirius and Harry froze in shock, turning around slowly to face the kitchen door, where looking very worn out, his robes shabbier than ever, his sandy colour hair wild and messy, his eyes dancing with happiness, stood Remus Lupin using the doorframe to hold himself up.

"Moony!" both yelled running forward, Harry reaching him first and grabbing him in a hug. Sirius was next wrapping his arms around the two, but he had charged flat out and had crashed into them, all three falling to a heap on the floor.

"Pile up!" said Sirius already on top of Remus hugging him tightly.

"No pile up!" cried Remus, but it was too late as Harry jumped on top of Sirius and hugged both men. "For Merlin's sake I've only been gone a few weeks!"

"A few weeks too long!" Harry said angrily. "Padfoot isn't as good a teacher as you and he cooked. I swear he's killed off half of my taste buds!"

"I _am_ here you know Prongslet," said Sirius, speaking into Remus's armpit. "You stink Moony."

"You're everywhere you fat git," said Harry getting off Sirius, and levitating his godfather off Remus who he pulled to his feet. The Boy-Who-Lived sent an evil grin at Remus who chuckled before cancelled the Levitation Charm, sending Sirius to the floor, a small groan coming from where he landed. "You'll have to tell us about where you've been Uncle Moony!"

"Uncle Moony?" asked Remus sounding as though he liked the name.

"Of course, if Sirius is my godfather you're my uncle, you could be grandfa – "

"I'm not that old Prongslet," chuckled Remus taking a seat at the table, Harry rushing off to make him a cup of tea. "So what's happened since I've been gone."

"Nothing at all Moony," said Sirius limping into the room. "I swear Prongslet my knee has swollen up again." The man took a seat at the table across from Remus, wincing slightly as he put his leg up. "Apart from Sturgis being sent to prison – "

"I heard about that sadly," replied Remus accepting the tea Harry offered. "Thank you Prongslet, the news got around fast."

"Where were you?" Harry asked taking a seat next to the werewolf.

Remus merely smiled, but paled slightly when Harry pointed his wand threateningly at him.

"Like Padfoot I've been worried sick and nobody's told me anything, so you either tell me now or I put you under a Cheering Charm and hang you upside again like last time, but this time everyone sees you." Harry smiled and watched as Remus coughed slightly, rubbing his neck.

"Prongslet – "

"Moony just tell him, either way he'll find out," chuckled Sirius sitting across from him.

"You're rather confident saying that Padfoot," said Remus eyeing the wand while his gaze flickered to Sirius.

"He's the son of a Marauder and the only reason I didn't tell him was because you told me not to," stated Sirius with a small smile. "He deserves to know, been worried sick about you he has, his lessons have been suffering a little."

"That's no excuse," said Remus turning to face him. "Your lessons are important and whatever I am doing should not affect them." Remus said this in a harsh but kind way that made Harry feel like had done something wrong, but he knew he wasn't entirely in the wrong in this situation.

"Says the man who just ups and leaves saying 'don't worry about me'!" countered Harry, watching as Remus smiled sadly looking to his cup. "How can you tell me not to worry about those who I think of as my family?" Harry watched as Remus looked at him in surprise, most probably thinking he had been joking when he called him 'Uncle Moony' before.

"Harry I'm sorry," he said eventually, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I was wrong and you were right, can you forgive me?"

"Of course."

"Well then I suppose I can fill you in to an extent," he chuckled. Remus dropped his hand from his shoulder and watched curiously when Harry pointed his wand at the pantry, two huge slabs of Honeydukes Chocolate and a bottle of Firewhiskey shooting onto the table.

"That's an apology present for hanging you upside down during my lesson," said Harry, watching as Remus beamed at him. "Though you did kind of deserve it."

"I suppose I did," sighed Remus. "Now what do you want to know?"

"When you're going to give me some Firewhiskey," said Sirius licking his lips.

Harry and Remus looked to one another before bursting out into laughter, Sirius shaking his head at the two mumbling something about 'gits'.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Own nothing sadly, like every author on here doing it fun and righting the wrongs JK made. Enjoy...Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 7

Snape

-o-

It seemed Remus had been underground with the outcast werewolves, trying to find out if they would be joining Voldemort or if they believed whether he had returned. It had taken longer than he first planned to gain their trust, which had slowly begun to form the longer he stayed, especially when he went through the transformation without the Wolfsbane Potion. Though the trust was there, they were not totally open to Remus as he had attempted to live in the wizarding world, abiding by the awful laws that were in place against werewolves.

"So you were an outsider taking a chance then?" Harry had asked, Remus nodding sadly.

"Could they have…killed you?"

"There was that possibility," Remus had replied avoiding his gaze. "But I was confident that they would want to judge me, for they knew I had been wronged in so many ways. Some knew I was a top student while at Hogwarts, but even with my good grades the Ministry would not accept me."

"Give me a few hours with Fudge and you'll have his job," Sirius had said evilly. "He's already got a face full of Hippogriff dung sent by some unanimous persons." The Azkaban escapee merely smiled when Remus stared at him in shock. "Apparently he's still trying to get the taste out of his mouth."

"How did it get through to him?" Remus had asked in disbelief.

"We had Tonks and Kingsley do the checks, helps having Aurors in the Ministry doesn't it?" Sirius had joked, his friend chuckling. "You've missed out Moony, but we're planning on sending a sample to the Toad we know and love. Fancy being involved?"

"Most definitely," Remus had replied grinning, his eyes looking to dance at the thought.

But before they got round to sending a certain Toad a present, Harry had lessons and Remus was happy to take over from Sirius who had missed simply sleeping all morning. Instead of having his usual timetable of lessons, Remus decided to dedicate half an hour to each subject to see how far he had come along, the day after he had returned. The werewolf had been very pleased, checking over the things Sirius had ticked off on the lesson plans.

"Transfiguration, half way through third year material, verbally and non-verbally, Occlumency has definitely helped with your non-verbal casting. Charms you're progressing very quickly through, fourth year spells fantastic!"

"It's not really a hard subject, helps that I've learned the stuff already though," shrugged Harry from the kitchen counter, where he was making tea for he and Remus. "Also helps that Sirius found Charms one of his easiest subjects and taught me several methods to make my spell work easier."

"So basically he showed you the wand movements several hundred times until you had them perfect before you attempted the spell?" asked Remus with a small smile, accepting the tea Harry floated over to him. "Two sugars?"

"As always," replied Harry joining him at the table. "How far I'm I in my other subjects?"

Remus glanced over the checklist on each of the lesson plans laid out. "Third year Transfiguration, fourth year Charms, fourth year Care of Magical creatures, which is surprising since it's a whole new syllabus I put together myself. History of Magic you're in second year through Padfoot's acting."

By Padfoot's acting he meant Sirius dressing up as different creatures and people to get his points across. So far he had been a Ministry Historian with several huge boils on his neck, an unnaturally tall goblin, his skin horribly dark and with unnaturally long fingers and feet. He was preparing to be a vampire next, but said he had to talk with Snape to get it down perfectly.

"His acting skills are good," chuckled Harry, Remus rolling his eyes. "We needed someway to make History of Magic interesting, you listened to Binns moan on about Ministry Laws and Giant wars."

"Point taken." Remus continued down the checklist with the hint of a smile. "Herbology you're on third year work, but with little practical experience. Potions you're stuck in third year, most of your potions ranging from Acceptable to Exceeds Expectations. Occlumency and Legilimency are going fine, still learning the basics and you could easily pass your Defense OWL with flying colors."

"So I'm doing okay then?" asked Harry.

"Better than okay, but I'm thinking of stopping your lessons once you finish fourth year work."

"Why?" asked Harry confused.

"That came out wrong," chuckled Remus shaking his head. "What I meant to say was that once you finish fourth year work in each of your subjects, we'll stop so that you can catch up in other subjects. That way when you start fifth year work, you'll be starting on even footing with all your other subjects."

"So that means that if I finish Charms and Transfiguration, I'll concentrate more on Potions and History of Magic?" groaned Harry, banging his head on the table.

"Yes, you should finish up Charms within the next week and you've already finished fourth year spells for Defense long ago. Those slots can be used to catch up the work in other subjects."

"I hate you Moony," declared Harry glaring playfully at the werewolf. "So I'm going to stop learning about my favorite subject to study my least favorite subject apart from Divination?"

"Yes," said Remus with a grin, making a disgusted face as he sipped his tea. "You put no sugar in this did you?"

"You deserve it for making me do more potions work," growled Harry in response, sipping at his own sweet tea. "Evil werewolf."

-o-

"I don't deserve this," grumbled Harry as he watched Mad-Eye hobble in with Hestia Jones.

The Order was slowly gathering together in the kitchen and as it was customary, Harry would once again be forced to go upstairs and wait around while the meeting was on. Once it finished however, he would be free from his confinement up the stairs. Meetings normally lasted an hour, sometimes a little longer depending on how important new information being brought in was.

During his second week at the house without his friends, one meeting had lasted close to three hours and the Gryffindor had been told it would last at best an hour. He had not cooked Sirius any dinner that night and Molly Weasley had not stayed behind due to work for the Order. His godfather had been far from pleased, but had forgiven him when Harry had made breakfast the next morning.

"Don't worry about it Hero, it shouldn't last too long," said Tonks with a small smile, changing her hair from spiky bubblegum pink to straight, long and black, her eyes changing from pink to green.

"Think it suits me?"

"The purple eyes look better, but do scare me at times," lied Harry, wincing when Tonks smacked him on the arm. "You look fantastic no matter what Tonks."

"Awww thanks Hero," she said placing a kiss on his cheek. "Got to go say hello to Mad-Eye."

Harry watched as she left, determined not to look as she swayed her hips, but a sneak peak had him watching, the Gryffindor ignoring the snort that came from behind him. "Bite me Padfoot."

"The girl is good," chuckled Sirius taking a seat.

"Shut up," grumbled Harry touching the spot where she had kissed him, Sirius snorting once again.

"Git."

"Me or her?"

"Who do you think?" Harry asked with a grin, watching as Sirius smiled proudly before glaring playfully at him. "Any chance of me hanging around for the meeting, sitting in my room with Phineas isn't exactly what you call fun."

"Not with Molly here," said Sirius, the Boy-Who-Lived not needing to be told the mother hen had just spotted him.

"Hello Harry dear," she said pulling him into a backbreaking hug as he stood. "You're looking very thin dear; I'll have to start staying here so that you get some decent sized meals in you."

The two had thought Molly would be sticking around every night once Harry's friends had returned to Hogwarts, but it seemed she had managed to contain herself…either that or Dumbledore had spoken with the mother hen as he had promised to do. Either way, when Molly came for the meetings, she would sometimes stay afterwards and cook dinner, but most of the time she would leave the moment it ended.

It had been surprising the first time she left without question, Sirius having to be pinched several times to prove it was not a dream.

"Fine by me Mr.s Weasley, Sirius can't cook to save his life," said Harry with a grin, watching as Sirius shifted in his seat, most probably preparing himself for a verbal assault. Instead they got something different.

"Well if you would prefer it you could always come around to the Burrow, we have plenty to go around especially for young men like yourselves," said Molly with a smile, Sirius looking up at her in surprise. "It would be no worry dear whatsoever, perhaps I can give you a few cooking lessons, Bill and Charlie begged me for them before they moved away from home."

"Fantastic," said Sirius happily. "That would be fantastic."

"No problem dear, I'm just going to see Bill, his hair honestly," she said smiling, before walking off to talk with her eldest son.

Harry and Sirius shared a look, the Boy-Who-Lived falling back into his chair, both unable to believe what had just happened.

"She didn't call me a useless godfather."

"She didn't insult you in any way or form."

"She invited us to dinner," they both then said in union.

"Think she'll give us the leftovers to save us cooking the next day?" asked Sirius, Harry feeling confident that she would. "Looks like things are changing for the better."

"Yup," replied Harry getting to his feet once more. "I'm going to head upstairs and if the meeting is going to go on longer than it should, don't hesitate to come upstairs and tell me. Three hours on your own is enough to drive anyone insane."

"Twelve years in Azkaban," countered Sirius with a smile.

"You were already insane," chuckled Harry as Sirius gave him a glare. "Later, Padfoot."

"Prongslet."

Harry made his out of the kitchen, saying hello to the members he did know (Dedalus Diggle shaking his hand for far too long), not bothering to stop and chat as the meeting would soon begin. He eventually made it out into the hall, where he began his journey to the stairs wondering what he would do to pass the time. It was while he was there, the front door opened and Severus Snape, with his ever-greasy hair and wearing his black robes that billowed, walked in slamming the door shut hard behind him.

The man's dark eyes located him quickly, a small sneer appearing almost if by magic instantly. "Is the child off to bed?"

"Don't know any children sorry," replied Harry coming to a stop a few feet away from the man.

"Of course, you don't see yourself as a child, do you, but instead as an adult," said Snape rolling his eyes. "How silly of me."

"Yes how silly of you, didn't you know grease is slippery?" asked Harry, watching as Snape's lip curled.

"How original Potter, got anymore insults that I've heard Merlin knows how many times before?"

"No, just warning you not to slip on your grease, I would hate for you to get hurt for not having the common sense to wash your hair." Harry then walked past the man and began his journey up the stairs with a grin.

"Tell me Potter how are your friends?" Snape then said, Harry whirling around halfway up the steps.

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked, panic filling him as he thought of Ron and Hermione cornered by a pack of Death Eaters.

Snape merely sneered before looking away from Harry and walking slowly towards the kitchen door. "Surely your friends would not lie to you Potter…or perhaps…"

"Start making sense before I curse it out of you," growled the Gryffindor, making his way down the stairs drawing his wand, stopping when jumping off the bottom step and landing at the top of hallway.

The Potions Master looked around and rolled his eyes at Harry standing there holding his wand, before walking off towards the kitchen again. But he stopped and whirled around when a curse flew over his head striking the door, closing it with a snap.

"Start talking," growled Harry with his wand raised, not fazed in the slightest when Snape drew his, "now!"

"I do not take orders from children," spat the Professor, his wand at his side though his hand was twitching slightly, indicating to the Gryffindor Snape was ready to begin exchanging curses.

"I'm not a child you greasy haired git, now start telling me what's wrong with my friends!" Harry yelled, glad that he had sealed the door. It would take sometime to figure out how to get through the door, the spell being one the Marauders had invented. Only if you said the password could you get through, though knowing Remus and Sirius they probably knew how to get around the spell, meaning he did not have much time.

"You think by threatening me I'll listen to a little brat that needs to learn his pl – " but Snape stopped speaking when a stunner flew from Harry's wand, going wide off the mark. "Clearly your aim – "

"Who said I was aiming?" replied Harry, his anger at boiling point. "Get talking now!"

"Potter I am not one of your – " but the Potions Master ducked this time as the stunner leaving

Harry's wand was not off target. The Professor fired off his own curse, Harry flattening himself against the staircase as the jet of pink light flew past him. "Don't play games you cannot win Potter, you'll end up getting hurt."

"_Stupe _– " Harry began mentally, but he fell backwards and cursed his stupidity. Occlumency was a useful tool in a duel and he had been a fool to not clear his mind. Growling at his own foolishness, he got to his feet. "So you're a Legilimens then Snape?"

The Potions Master looked taken back, but then a small sneer appeared on his face as he observed the boy he had ridiculed for close to four years. "Perhaps you're not such a dunderhead after all Potter."

"No I'm not," said Harry clearing his mind of all thought, focusing solely on Snape and hoping no stray thoughts would sneak in. "Now lets try this again shall we?"

"Yes le – " but Snape stopped speaking when the front door opened.

Harry looked around to find someone wearing purple robes entering the hall through the front door. The Boy-Who-Lived quickly looked down to his feet to avoid meeting the man's gaze, knowing full well Dumbledore had just entered Grimmauld Place. The Gryffindor pocketed his wand, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Snape did the same thing. "Professor Dumbledore."

"Harry, Severus, I take it you two were having a pleasant conversation?" asked the Headmaster, clearly having seen the two with their wands drawn.

"As always Albus," said Snape, his face emotionless.

"What else could we do Professor?" Harry asked refusing to meet the man's eye, knowing that the murderous feeling would return if he did. "I think I should get to bed, have a pleasant evening."

It was at that moment the kitchen door flew open, Tonks, Sirius and Remus quickly entering the hall with their wands drawn, ready to start cursing. They quickly lowered them however, when finding Dumbledore in the hall.

"Ah, I did not realize that there was a problem," said Dumbledore cheerfully.

"Not anymore by the looks of things," said Tonks glaring at Snape, grasping her wand tightly.

"Seems someone decided to lock the door rather securely."

"That would be me," said Harry looking to the three, receiving curious glances in return. "Wanted a few quiet words with my _favorite_ Professor."

"Well as much as I would like to stay here," said Snape glaring at Harry's comment. "I have others things to do." With that he walked past the three and into the kitchen, his eyes seeming to linger on Tonks who glared in return at the Potions Master.

"Everything fine Prongslet?" asked Sirius looking into the kitchen.

"Yeah," lied Harry, before turning on his heel and making his way up the stairs. He left the four adults in the hall, their gazes all following him as he walked up the stairs, the Gryffindor careful to make sure he did not show how angry or worried he was.

-o-

Harry lay on his bed in his room, anger still coursing through him an hour later. When returning to his bedroom he had for half an hour cursed, thrown things at walls, cursed some more and then contemplated flying to Hogwarts on his broomstick to make sure his friends were fine. The next fifteen minutes he apologised to Hedwig who he had been neglecting and gave several owl treats. The last fifteen he had been lying on his bed seriously contemplating going to Hogwarts, while thinking of ways to make Snape pay for causing him to worry about his friends.

"Complete git," grumbled Harry sitting up and grabbing his wand, summoning _Quidditch Through the Ages_, throwing it down seconds later having already read the book several times already. "I swear to Merlin I'm going to curse him if my friends are getting hurt and he's done nothing!"

"You do realize talking to yourself is the first sign of madness?" spoke a voice he had not heard in sometime.

"Hello Phineas, how are you?" Harry asked pleasantly, not wanting to get into an argument with the portrait that could be as annoying as Snape if he wanted to be.

"I'm as good as ever; you on the other hand sound as though you're loosing what is left of your _supposed _mind."

"Got anything pleasant to say, or are you here to criticize me?" asked Harry looking to the pompous portrait and glaring heatedly.

"If I was to criticize you I would be here a lifetime," said Phineas with an air of pompousness, stroking his beard.

"Says the man who was the least popular Headmaster Hogwarts ever had?" replied Harry leaning back on his elbows and smiling triumphantly at the portrait who glared at him, Phineas beginning to mutter under his breath. "First sign of madness is talking to yourself Phineas, though with hair like yours most would think it by just looking at you."

The portrait's hand went to his long hair, huffing and glaring he disappeared from the portrait, most probably back to his one at Hogwarts.

"Slimy snake."

"I heard that!"

Harry rolled his eyes and wondered if he should destroy Phineas portrait. Then again he knew Phineas had a portrait at Hogwarts and was required to travel between them for Dumbledore. If it weren't for that the Gryffindor would have gladly fired a Reductor Curse at the pompous git.

"Harry?" A knock came at the door. "Harry, can I come in?"

"Have you got greasy hair or look like a vampire?"

"If you want I can," joked Tonks entering the room with a smile, tucking a stand of purple hair behind her ear. "You okay?"

"Fine," mumbled Harry, feeling a bit better since she entered the room. That was the thing about Tonks; she always seemed to cheer him up by her mere presence.

"I thought we were close Hero?" she said lying down next to him on the bed, elbowing him lightly.

"We are close, you're right next to me," said Harry receiving another elbow in side, this one hurting more. "Surely I can have you arrested for hurting the Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Arrogant git," Tonks said elbowing him a third time. "Now tell me how you are really."

"Really?" Harry asked turning his head to stare at Tonks green eyes. "I'm angry and want to hurt Snape if my friends are in trouble, and then hurt him even more if he hasn't done a damn thing to help them. But then I'm not just angry at him."

"Who else?"

"I'm angry at them as well because if they're in trouble, why can't they tell me?" Harry asked her sitting up, hating the fact that he could do nothing.

Tonks sighed and rolled onto her side, still facing him. "If they were in trouble Hero, what would you do?"

Harry knew immediately what he would do. No matter what, he would find a way to get to them and help in any way possible. Nothing else mattered to him but their safety, even if it meant he would get in serious trouble for whatever stupid thing he would have to do to make sure they were all right.

Tonks smiled sadly and sat up, pulling him into a hug, Harry wrapping his arms around in return.

"What should I do?" he whispered, as he was right next to her ear.

"Everything I've heard about you tells me you will do whatever it takes to keep your friends safe. I would bet all the money in Gringotts that you would face the graveyard all over again on your own so no one was hurt or killed."

Harry did not reply because it true, he would face the graveyard again on his own. His stay with the Dursleys that summer he had wondered if things would have turned out differently if Cedric had not been there. And he always came to the conclusion that if he had grabbed the cup alone, everything would have turned out the same except for Cedric dying. It was horrible to think he had had the choice to take the cup alone and face those horrible trials. If he had, Cedric would have lived and so would he.

"I'm right aren't I?"

"Yes," said Harry, resting his head on her shoulder. "Can you blame me for wanting to protect everyone?"

"Heroes can't protect everyone Harry," mumbled Tonks pulling away and kissing his cheek softly.

"The fact that you're willing to try having faced the things you have shows how amazing you really are. But as I said you can't protect everyone and there are some battles that we have to leave alone, some that we have to watch from the sidelines."

"I can't sit around Tonks," said Harry letting his arms go back to his sides. "My friends mean too much to me."

"Tell you what, I'll stop by Hogwarts tomorrow and check up on everyone," she said. "Once I've done that I'll come straight back here."

Harry mulled over the idea, not liking the fact he could not check up on his friends personally. He knew that going there himself would probably get him in trouble with the Ministry and the Order, and if he did there was a good chance he'd come face to face with Dolores Umbridge. That would not be good for the Toad, as Harry knew he would show her what he thought of her foolish beliefs.

If Tonks went however, it would look far too suspicious and she could get in trouble with Scrimgeour, her boss that was already asking far too many questions.

"No," said Harry shaking his head. "If your boss found out he'd start asking more questions."

"I can handle Scrimgeour," said Tonks rolling her eyes.

"And if you lose your job?"

"I'll share your vault," she said simply, Harry rolling eyes. "You're saying you wouldn't?

"I'd think about it," said Harry with a small smile. "But seriously, if you're caught then – "

"I can cast a Disillusionment Charm on myself." Tonks jumped to her feet and got out her wand, tapping her head and slowly she begun to blend into the room. "See."

"Well…wait!" Harry suddenly had a brainstorm and went to his trunk, throwing it open and grabbing the two items that were on top. He looked back to Tonks who had cancelled the charm, looking at him confused. He simply held up his Invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map.

"Wow!" said Tonks taking the cloak he handed her and admiring it, while staring at the piece of old parchment in his hand. "You've got an Invisibility cloak, this is better than the charm, but what's with the old piece of parchment?"

Harry merely smiled in response and drew his own wand, tapping it to the parchment. "_I solemnly swear that I am up to no good._"


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Don't own HP, never have, never will. Just a guy with too much time and too many ideas...Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 8

A Year On

-o-

Harry grumbled as he read over his History of Magic notes in his room, knowing that he would not take the subject when it came to deciding his NEWT subjects. He was positive that most jobs could care a less what grade he got in History of Magic. Speaking of jobs, he had been considering what he could do if he ever did return to Hogwarts and took exams.

Professional Quidditch had been an idea, but he quickly shot it down simply because he would be wanted for his name, not his skill.

A professional prankster had also been thrown in there by Sirius, but Remus had kindly reminded him that there was no such job, as Minerva McGonagall had told him during his careers interview back in fifth year.

The idea of being an Auror had sounded appealing, but the way Tonks had been complaining about her "complete git of a boss" Rufus Scrimgeour, it did not sound as appealing anymore. She had been stuck in the old Auror archive rooms, looking up cases that dated back well before she was born. This was due to the Auror's refusal to answer Scrimgeour's questions about Dumbledore. Kingsley had tried to help her out by getting her assigned to his team, but Scrimgeour had not allowed it, as he believed Kingsley was also involved with Dumbledore.

"_What's he asking about Dumbledore?" Harry had asked leaning against his bed sitting on the floor, curiosity getting the better of him while they spent time in his room one night._

"_Just what he's up to and who believes him about Voldemort being back, just not in those words," Tonks had replied from his bed, lying down while reading the Prophet._

"_But why you?"_

"_Because I'm Moody's protégé, I was one of the last he took an interest in before he retired. Scrimgeour isn't stupid sadly and he knows Moody is close to Dumbledore, and that I'm close to Moody. That's why he also suspects Kingsley since he trained him and still keeps in contact."_

"_Nosey git," the Gryffindor had grumbled, going back to looking over his notes._

His reason for reading over his notes so much, was due to the fact he would have to study for History of Magic in his own time from now on. He had finished up his fourth year work in his other subjects by mid October, but History of Magic was such an extensive subject that he could be studying it for the rest of the year and still not have all the information. So to his great pleasure, he would now only have one lesson History of Magic a week, his free space being used to carry on his learning of Legilimency.

"_It is just far too much to cover," Remus had stated one afternoon as the two looked through the many topics that could be covered in his OWL exam. "The best advice I can offer is look through past papers and try and find what comes up most often. It's what I did in my OWL year and I got an Outstanding in the exam."_

"_Really?" Harry had asked._

"_Yes, so did Prongs and Padfoot thanks to my notes."_

"_Did you carry it on at NEWT level?"_

"_Merlin no, I lasted five years and that was it," Remus had chuckled before grabbing a spare piece of parchment and beginning to write a letter. "I'll just send this note to Minerva, she will be able to get us some past exam papers to look over."_

"_Oh goody, more work for me."_

"_You'll thank us when you take your OWLs," Remus had said leaving the kitchen, Harry rolling his eyes at the werewolf, knowing that he would. Though he wasn't about to admit that to him._

With a sigh, Harry begun to read about the Goblin rebellions once more, his eyes drooping as they ran along the lines of the text. "_There has got to be an easier way to revise than this_." Shaking his head, he started to read the first line once again. "_The most prevalent Goblin rebellions took place between – _"

"Wotcher!"

"This will never get done," groaned Harry, closing his book and placing it on his bedside table. Looking to the door, he found Tonks wearing her Auror robes that looked very dusty, waiting there with a bundle of packages piled on top of one another, which were being held up in the air by magic. "Either I'm dreaming or Christmas is early this year."

"Neither," she said with a smile entering and dropping the various brown-papered packages onto his bed. "I like to call it bribery."

"Why have I got the feeling you don't want me going to Hogsmeade," replied Harry picking up one of the packages. Since he had told her of a plan he had thought up in seconds, Tonks had been continually pestering him about the negatives of going to Hogsmeade. His first plan had involved entering Hogwarts, but after a threat of castration he had decided against it, though he was still determined to speak with his friends. So he turned to his godfather and uncle armed with a second plan to enter Hogsmeade.

Sirius when hearing his plan had begun to act like a parent, a resounding "no" filling Harry's ears much to his shock. The Azkaban escapee had taken the responsible route and told him that his safety was far too important to risk. But after much pestering and several ideas, his godfather had begun to warm to the idea.

Even Remus, the responsible Marauder had agreed to help, much to Tonks' annoyance. All three males had been suffering at her expense as of late, mostly through her throwing curses at them for not thinking like adults. Though it seemed she had decided on a new approach.

The Gryffindor felt the package, which did not feel like anything harmful. "Doesn't feel like something that can hurt me, it feels like…clothes. You do realize by giving me these I'm free to – "

"You're not a bloody House-elf." Tonks made him move along his bed to make space for her, the Auror bringing her legs up onto the bed and cross them before turning to him, her purple eyes fixing on him, her lips now pursed. "Now stop being a git, accept the presents and say you won't go to Hogsmeade."

Harry groaned and leaned back, resting his head against the headboard covering his face with his hands. The Auror, who looked as though she had bought him a whole new wardrobe, was dead set against him going to Hogsmeade even with an Order guard. Tonks was worried for his safety, having many times over the past few weeks attempted to sway his mind. At times he had been very tempted to agree with her and tell Sirius to call off the plan, which he was planning to bring up in a meeting soon after he had it all properly thought out.

The Gryffindor dropped his hands from his face, resting them on his legs and smiling at the Auror who looked hopeful. "Tonks I know you want to keep me safe, but I need – "

"I'll go then, as I've said constantly over the past few weeks," said the Auror still determined. "You know that I won't keep anything from you."

"I know," said Harry placing a hand on her knee and squeezing it. "But…I just have to see them for myself. It's been a while since I last saw them and it'll be good just to get out the house."

"I'll take you the bloody park and push you on the swing for a few bloody hours then," Tonks growled smacking his hand away, fixing him with a glare that he had been getting far too often as of late. "Merlin Hero I just want to keep you safe, you know that if you go to Hogsmeade there is a good chance it would be crawling with Ministry officials or Death Eaters."

"I'd be under Glamour – "

"One simple _Finite_ ends the charm." Tonks ran hand through her long black hair before speaking again. "Please just think about all the dangers."

"I have," Harry said placing an arm around her shoulders, the Auror resting her head on his shoulder. "Sirius has, Remus has, and you have, far too much by the sound of things. We've been through so many possibilities that I swear that we're making half of them up. I mean come on, what's the chance of Voldemort popping out of Honeydukes to curse me?"

"It could happen!" Tonks had whacked him in the stomach with her fist, Harry groaning in pain and removing his arm from her shoulders, using both to shield his stomach from further pummeling.

"You take these things far too lightly Harry! Everything around you is a potential threat! Constant Vigilance!"

"Last time I mess with a student of Moody's," grumbled Harry, taking deep breathes. "Bugger me."

"Maybe when you're older."

"I'll hold you to that," said Harry, managing to contain his yelp when she whacked him on the back with the palm of her hand. "Stop hitting me please!"

"Stop being like Sirius then and take this seriously!"

"You say don't be like Sirius and then be like Sirius, make up your mind," groaned Harry, resting his back against the headboard so that she could not hit him there again. Glancing at Tonks, he found her glaring at him. "You're the one that said "maybe when you're older" Tonks, what else I'm I supposed to say?"

"What would you have said last year?"

"Nothing, I'd have probably blushed and started stuttering," replied Harry removing his arms from his stomach and grabbing one of the packages. "This time last year I was thinking about who was going be Triwizard champion. Never would've thought all that's happened would have."

"Got to agree," she mumbled, no longer glaring. "When I first heard he'd returned, I thought it had been some sort of sick joke. Then when Moody came to see me once he left Hogwarts, he just confirmed it and…"

"Knocked the wind out of you?" offered Harry placing the package down and sighing. "If just hearing it was bad, imagine seeing him." Harry laughed a little, but it was hollow as he remembered Voldemort rising out of the cauldron standing tall, a man once again. His moon white skin; his slits for nostrils and those scarlet eyes that would scare the life out of any man. He remembered wishing that the child thrown into cauldron would die, how he wished it would just perish in the cauldron.

"What was it like?" asked Tonks reaching and squeezing his hand in a comforting way. "I mean it must have been scary…but how did you…"

"Keep a clear head? There was nothing I could do and…when he came back, he was just talking most of the time about how he had suffered for thirteen years. Making those Death Eaters who didn't go to Azkaban feel really uncomfortable, I'd have hated to have been one, probably suffering now; not that I'm complaining." He smiled sadly placing down the package and using his free to run a hand through his hair. "Then when he wanted to duel…it was literally do or die." Harry bowed his head, remembering the graveyard.

Surrounded by a circle of all those hooded figures, all who in an instant would have struck him down if given the chance. Then there was Voldemort in the centre standing tall that sick smile on his face, the assurance of victory dancing in those bone-chilling eyes. He was so confident and did not think that Harry had a chance at all. It had all come down to their wands…that's what had saved him…

"What happened?" asked Tonks, scooting closer to him on the bed. "If you don't want – "

"It's alright," said Harry, smiling slightly. "We dueled; well he played around with me. Starting off with forcing me to bow, Sirius told me a while back that was him using Legilimency. Then he hit me with the Cruciatus, which believe me hurts like hell when he gets you with it. Then the Imperius, which I managed to throw off."

"Wow, not even some Aurors can manage that," said the Auror offering with a warm smile. "We've been through the training, it's difficult, some can some can't."

"Something to thank the fake Moody for there; after that he tried to hit the Cruciatus again, but I dodged it this time and rolled behind a gravestone. Then the psycho asks if I'm playing 'hide and seek'," Harry laughed slightly shaking his head. "He knew it was over and that he had me, but he wanted me to be scared to even move before he finished me off. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction so before he stuck his head around the gravestone, I jumped out and fired a Disarming Charm."

"First mistake when dueling Snakeface," Tonks said smiling, holding his hand rather tightly.

"Saved my life," chuckled Harry, his smile wide on his face. "He fires a Killing Curse and I fired a Disarming charm. I thought I was done for until our wands did this weird thing, Priori Incantatem."

"The reverse spell effect?" asked Tonks.

Harry nodded, raising his eyebrow in surprise.

"My dad when he first got into Hogwarts loved everything magical and one of the first books he bought was one on wands. One fact I've always remembered is Priori Incantatem, it forces the loser of the test of will to show the last spells cast by the wand. Guess you won?"

"Yeah, how did you guess?"

"Couldn't see you losing to old Snakeface."

Harry laughed wondering how Voldemort would react to hearing such a thing. "Anyway, I won the test of will as you call it and…I saw the last people he killed."

Tonks rested her head on his shoulder, interlocking her fingers with his.

"First person was Cedric…he was there alive just moments before and…just scary seeing him come out of the wands…then Frank Bryce – "

"I knew Cedric, but never heard of a Frank Bryce," said Tonks quietly from his shoulder.

"He was a muggle, I actually saw him die in my dreams, just didn't realize it was the same man I saw until that night." Harry looked to the ceiling and smiled sadly. "Then there was Bertha…she told me to hold on…" He paused for a few seconds, picturing the next two people that came out of the joint wands. "Then my mum and dad."

"That must've been horrible," she barely whispered, squeezing his hand very tightly.

"I was terrified but…the phoenix song was playing in the background and…it kind of just gives you strength, it's the only way to describe it. While it was playing, my parents me told get the cup and go back to Hogwarts. Cedric also asked me to take his body back and I did…they told me to break and connection and then…I ran. Just ran flat out, ducking and hiding trying to get to that cup."

"I would've been dead by – "

"You're stronger than you think," Harry said gazing at the Auror out of the corner of his eye, Tonks smiling at his words. "I almost didn't make it, I was stuck behind this angel like stone and I knew time was running out. So I moved off again firing off a jinx and I jumped for Cedric's body. The cup was a few feet away however, and Voldemort had joined the chase and was literally, one headstone from me. If I had waited a second longer it would have been over. But I summoned the cup, caught it and arrived back at Hogwarts."

Harry sighed having not talked about the graveyard that much, but it felt good to tell it again. Tonks had heard a brief overview before from him, but this was the first time he had actually gone into detail since June in Dumbledore's office with Sirius and the Headmaster. Sighing once again, he looked to Tonks who looked to be in her own world, her grip on his hand still tight. "Tonks."

"Hmm."

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she said moving her head from his shoulder and shaking it. "Just err…amazed at yet another of your adventures."

"Haven't been able to go a year at Hogwarts without having one yet," replied Harry, earning a small smile from the Auror. "Perhaps you can join me on one."

"If it stops you getting hurt then count me in." Tonks untangled her fingers from his hand and then kissed his cheek briefly. "Have fun opening your presents, I'm due back at work." The Auror walked off towards the door, Harry very confused.

"Tonks, presents?"

The Metamorphmagi looked back and nodded, her hair changing from long and black to short, bubblegum pink and spiky, her green eyes looking brighter than ever. "Thought you could do with some clothes of your own."

"But…I…I've got – "

"They fit you Hero, see you later." A wink later and Tonks was gone, leaving Harry sitting on the bed with various brown packages.

"Something tells me I owe her."

"You're a smart one," Phineas said from above, Harry physically shuddering.

"Phineas."

"Yes Mr. Potter?"

"Drop dead."

"Already have."

"Encore."

-o-

Harry wiped away the sweat that was falling into his eyes, as he stared across the room at Sirius who held his arm across his chest with a grin on his lips. Both their gazes left one another to stare at the plate that held last of the treacle tart. Both had come down to the kitchen to grab a quick snack and had surprisingly, gone for the tart that was in the pantry. They had both claimed it as their own, but a scuffle had broken out, in the end the two deciding a duel would decide who got to eat it.

"Prongslet, I love you like a son, but I'll be damned if you get the last of the treacle tart," said Sirius, lowering his arm from his chest, wincing when his brushed against the area where his nipples were. "Nipple twist me once, shame on you, nipple twist me twice, shame on me, nipple twist me for a third time and I'll have you in detention for the rest of you life!"

"Padfoot, I see you as a father figure, but I will twist those nipples off your chest to get that tart," replied Harry, gently feeling at his chest that felt rather sore. "Damn you Marauders and your nipple twisting obsession."

"Aren't you a Marauder yourself?" asked Sirius with a grin, raising his wand.

"Second generation Marauder, we're smarter than the first and have common sense," chuckled Harry; raising his own, noticing a flicker of excitement appear in his godfather's eye. "Remember the rules?"

"Nothing that can cause broken bones, death or too much pain," listed Sirius laughing. "Now enough talk! _Papilla Intorqueo!_"

"You can do non-verbal spells you know," laughed Harry raising his shield, blocking the Nipple Twister Curse effectively and sending a stunner in return. He banished a chair to take Sirius's next curse and then ducked behind the table to avoid another.

"If it weren't for Moony and I Prongslet, you'd still be shouting your spells," Sirius yelled, summoning the pantry door off its hinges to use as a shield. "So what's say you thank me and give me the tart as my prize?"

"I'll give you something, but it won't be a tart," Harry said in response, firing off the Bludgeon hex that Sirius had taught him during one of his Defense lessons. It was a hex that could knock the wind out of your opponent giving you a chance to gain the advantage and if the hex was strong enough, could act like a weak Reductor curse and merely break items, not destroying them completely like the Reductor Curse was used for. Sadly he did not smash the door in half like he hoped, but did manage to create a crack down the middle of the door. "Bugger."

"You're getting far too good at Defense," chuckled Sirius repairing the door and peeking from behind it. "Got anymore ideas?"

Harry growled in response, wondering what he could do in this situation. Sirius was behind the door and was covered completely, while he was behind a table that had a huge gap right through the middle and areas where the chairs were missing, due to the two using the furniture to block curses the other sent. "_Can't use the Reductor as that can definitely cause a broken bone or two, possibly even death. There's got be a simple spell."_

"This _wooden_ defense can hold all day!" yelled Sirius from behind the door.

"_Rubbing my bloody face in it, the git. If I could just get rid of the damn door then…_" The Gryffindor then suddenly remembered a lesson with Remus back in September.

It had been when Tonks had turned up and helped him transfigure the mouse into a goblet. "_In Transfiguration you need to be more delicate with your movements._" Harry could have slapped himself for not thinking of it sooner, you didn't just need to know Defensive spells in a duel, using a whole range was what got victory. "_That's why they are persistent I concentrate on other types of magic_."

"Prongslet, I'm wai – huh?" Sirius who had been sitting on the floor, leaning against the door fell backward. He got to his knees and found that the door he had been using as shield had disappeared. Looking to his godson, he found him grinning happily at his accomplishment, Sirius grinning in return at what he had done. "You figured it out!"

"Yup," replied Harry happily, standing behind the table with his wand raised. "Care to have some fun?"

"My godson, the duel has just – ARGH!" Sirius ducked to avoid another Nipple Twister Curse, throwing up a shield to stop a stunner and then a Disarming Charm. "That's it, Prongslet!"

"Stop talking, more duel – "

"So this is what you've been up to since September, Prongslet."

Harry glanced to the fire, having to look twice as he wouldn't believe what he was seeing. For in the fire, just like he had seen Amos Diggory and Sirius do, was one of the Weasley Twins head. His freckles were very noticeable in the flames, the Weasley red hair was a different story for you could not see it, except for the few strands that covered his eyes. "Err…Fred?"

"Knew you could finally tell us apart," said Fred happily.

"Something tells me that you're mother wasn't expecting a call," said Sirius with a grin, taking a seat at the table. "Care to tell us why you're heads here and not with the rest of your body?"

"Well you see Sirius, it's this thing called – "

"Less funny, more explaining," laughed Harry taking a seat next to Sirius, his eyes glancing to the treacle tart that was only centimetres away.

"Point taken, haven't really got much time," said Fred wincing. "Bloody flooing hurts your knees, anyways, got some information for our Harrikins if he ever feels the need to floo in. Don't. The floo is being watched, we happened to pickup a conversation between your crush Cho Chang and her friend Marietta Edgecombe. Madam Edgecombe is the one policing the fires here, all except Umbridge's of course."

"And I take it you're using Umbridge's?" asked Sirius, his grin fading slightly. "Hope you've got a good reason to, your mother wouldn't be too pleased to hear you're getting in trouble just to tell us that."

"Not just that, got a little more information for Harry as well in case he feels the need to drop by Hogsmeade this weekend." Fred knew he had their attention when Harry and Sirius leaned forward in their seats. "Excellent, in case you _happen_ to stop by the village, you may want to go to the Hogshead round about eleven. Seems Hermione isn't happy about the standard of teaching in Defence Against the Dark Arts and is planning on getting a Defense group together to prepare for the coming war, slash exams."

"Sounds like we got a plan for Saturday then," said Sirius smiling at Harry, who only managed a small one in return. "Anymore information for us?"

"Well – " but he suddenly stopped. "Bugger, times up."

"Get going!" said Sirius quickly.

"Later!" With a pop Fred's head disappeared.

Harry watched as Fred's head disappeared, his thoughts going to his friends who looked to be keeping him out of the loop. Maybe they couldn't get a letter to him, which he hoped was the reason as he would hate to think that they were keeping things from him. "_They got a letter out last time through Fred and George though?_" He came out of his thoughts when Sirius tapped him on the head.

"You in there, Prongslet?" asked his godfather with a small grin. "You looked a little like Moony then."

"Merlin forbid," joked Harry running a hand through his hair. "Do you think I'm doing the right thing going to Hogsmeade?"

"Yes and no," replied Sirius smiling. "You see, I'd say "yes" because you've been stuck in here for far too long like me. Also because you've barely had any contact with your friends due their letters most likely getting read and now down to the floo as well.

"But then I'd say "no" as well because it could be dangerous, especially with the Ministry looking for any reason to get their hands on you and well, Snakeface just wants you out the way."

"Nicely put Padfoot," said Harry, unable not to laugh at his godfather who had a good way with words. "You really know how to make me feel better."

"What can I say, it's a gift," chuckled his godfather ruffling his hair. "Fancy telling me about this Chang girl?"

"Nothing to tell," replied Harry honestly, sighing slightly. "I liked her obviously, she was pretty and that's about it."

"Come on Prongslet, you need to give your godfather a little more information than that," said Sirius in a child like voice. "Please! Fill me in!"

"I asked her to go to the Yule ball with me, but got turned down due to she was going with Cedric." Harry noticed Sirius gulp, his happy features fading slightly. "Don't worry about it, I'm over the fact that I saw him die. Dealt with it ages ago."

"Do you still dream about the graveyard?" asked Sirius, his tone serious.

Harry was able to smile here for he had not dreamed of the graveyard for sometime. It seemed since he and Tonks had spoken that the few nightmares that did happen rarely, had disappeared for good. His Occlumency training was also helping since he was clearing his mind before going to sleep every night.

"No, I mean I used to, but since I started clearing my mind I rarely ever get dreams," Harry replied.

"Excellent," said Sirius happily before beginning to sound like his name once again. "Though if you ever want to, I'll happily listen. But I can't promise I won't go on a bender after hearing it."

"No problem," Harry said, laughing at his godfather who ruffled his hair once more, beginning to grin once more. He knew why immediately, when he noticed his godfather eyeing the treacle tart. "Don't think about it, Padfoot."

"Okay," said Sirius sitting back in his chair, his grin becoming bigger.

Harry sighed putting the doubts of travelling to Hogsmeade to the back of his mind. There was no point thinking about it now, as there were more important things he had to deal with at that moment. Grasping his wand tightly in one hand, he jumped to his feet, Sirius doing the same.

Both backed away from one another slowly, until they were at opposite ends of the table were they shared a smile.

"You're going down Prongslet!"

"That tart is mine!"


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Own nothing, JK owns it all, just a guy trying to bring a little joy to peoples lives. Re-Edited

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 9

The Answers in the Eyes

-o-

Harry sat in his room waiting for someone to come and get him. The Order meeting would begin soon, and Sirius had told him he would be involved only for the part that discussed his trip to Hogsmeade. When being told this, he had not felt bothered by the fact he would not be able to stay for the whole meeting. If anything he felt relieved, as it meant he would have less things to worry about.

Ever since Tonks had spoke with him the night after his confrontation with Snape, he had begun to really think about his willingness to get involved in anything that involved danger. His first year was a prime example, for it had been he and his friends who had gone for the stone when if they had told a Professor, someone else could have confronted the danger. McGonagall may not have believed he and his friends during the day, but if he had shown her a sleeping Fluffy and an open trap door, he knew she would have thought otherwise.

"_If my friends are in danger at Hogwarts, they aren't telling me for a reason so why should I bother to get involved? Going to Hogsmeade to see them and catch up is fine, but knowing my luck I'll just bring a whole bunch of problems back here with me_."

With being at Grimmauld Place all he had to deal with was learning and relearning spells, playing pranks on Sirius or Remus and talking constantly with Tonks, who he had gotten to know really well. She had in a way, replaced the places left by Ron and Hermione…but not exactly.

Tonks had the gift to improve his mood by her mere presence. She also had the gift to get him to talk about things he wanted to lock up and leave in the past, such as the graveyard. Not even Hermione and her theory of "talking about things made you feel better" got him to speak about the graveyard, yet Tonks did and had not once pushed him, only adding her bits of humor that helped a great deal.

Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair thinking how close they had become since his friends had gone back to Hogwarts. He had not even asked the Auror to stop by during her lunch breaks or free time; she had done it of her own accord. Her presence had been a welcome one during the weeks Remus was gone, simple games of chess or exploding snap, and bringing muggle food to the house had helped take his mind off the man he saw as an uncle for a few hours.

One day after they had eaten, she had placed her head on shoulder claiming how tired she was. While she had felt comfortable, Harry on the other hand had felt a little awkward. The first time this had occurred was when the two had been drinking Firewhiskey, and he had not thought too much about it then. But through her determination to rest on his shoulder, and her little speech of how 'it was his job to comfort her in her time of need', he became comfortable with the situation. He became so comfortable with it in fact that when Sirius had caught them at one time, the Gryffindor had not so much as even blushed when he mentioned at 'how cute the two looked'. Instead the Boy-Who-Lived had smiled and threw a curse at the Azkaban escapee, his godfather batting it away with a grin.

Grinning was how Remus found the Boy-Who-Lived. "Someone cast a Cheering Charm on you and not told me?"

"Just thinking about stuff," said Harry getting to his feet, looking up at Remus and finding a sly smile on his lips. "I don't like that smile at all Moony."

"Really?" he asked stepping into the room, his shabby robes billowing as he walked, his smile firmly in place while his eyes danced. "I'm merely smiling, Prongslet."

"You're a Marauder Moony, a mere smile can mean drugged your drink or prepare for mayhem," replied Harry, straightening his clothes.

_His clothes,_ now there was a term he could never really use having lived with Dudley's hand-me-downs for all his life, but Tonks had seen to it he had his own muggle clothing. The various packages she had brought around when he told her about the graveyard had contained clothes in his size and what he actually liked. One of his favorite t-shirts was the Weird Sisters one she had bought for him, which turned out to be what he was wearing now.

"Aren't the Weird Sisters one of Tonks' favorite bands?" asked Remus leaning against an old desk.

Harry looked over the green t-shirt that had "Weird Sisters" written in italics on a slant, in the white. On the back of the shirt there were silhouettes of band dancing once again in white. "Think so, why?"

"No reason," replied the werewolf with a smile. "Come on, time to head down and sort out this business with Hogsmeade."

Nodding, Harry and walked out the room with Remus following, both walking in silence. When they reached the stairs however, the Gryffindor stopped and looked to Remus who seemed to know what he was going to ask.

"You're unsure whether you're doing the right thing?"

The Boy-Who-Lived nodded, running a hand through his wild raven hair. "I just…if they are in trouble I'd be there in a second, but…I just don't know whether I should go."

"I understand," said Remus stepping forward and placing a hand on shoulder. "You're nervous that if you go, things could become worse by your mere presence?"

Harry nodded while once again running a hand through his hair. "We both know the Ministry's going to be watching Hogsmeade and thanks to Fred we also know where my friends will be. The Order can watch from afar and not worry about my safety if I'm not there."

Remus dropped his hand from his shoulder and moved to the banister, resting his hands on it and sighed heavily, looking down into the hall below. "You've really grown up these last few weeks, Prongslet."

"You said yesterday I was acting like an eight year old over that treacle tart," chuckled Harry, placing his own hands on the banister. "Still can't believe I lost, a Tickling Charm of all things."

Remus laughed and ruffled his hair, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "You know what I mean Prongslet, when you first came here you were desperate for information, now, you could really care a less. You simply want to deal with the problems _you_ have, not others."

"Suppose," shrugged Harry, wondering if he truly wanted to go. "Come on, they're probably waiting for us."

-o-

"Absolutely not!" Molly Weasley yelled, banging her fist on the table. Her face had in record time matched the color of her hair, the mother hen "s glare fixed on Sirius who had stopped speaking when she had interrupted.

"As I was saying – "

"You're willing to put his life on the line so he can buy a few Zonko products!" Molly Weasley was on her feet, Arthur next to his wife urging her to get back in her seat.

"She hasn't even heard the plan yet," Harry whispered to Remus.

"Doesn't look like the only one who disagrees with Padfoot."

Harry glanced around the room, his eyes falling on Dedalus Diggle who was shaking his head, while Emmeline and Tonks were having a hushed conversation, their eyes switching from one another to look to Sirius. His godfather who would have on any other day probably cursed the woman, merely smiled in response to her shouting. The Gryffindor's gaze travelled from face to face, Hestia Jones frowning while one of Moody's eyes was on Sirius, the other looking to Dumbledore.

The Headmaster had not even acknowledged Harry until the meeting had begun, where he quickly explained they were to discuss an idea Sirius had. The Boy-Who-Lived kept his gaze fixed on the Headmaster, his thoughts going off Hogsmeade and onto what actually caused him to have the pains in his scar whenever he looked at Dumbledore.

"_He said that my scar only hurts when Voldemort is nearby or when he is feeling emotional."_ Well it could not be that Voldemort was nearby, if Snakeface was his scar would most probably have him in blinding pain like it usually did. As for emotional, why would Voldemort feel emotional when Harry looked into his Headmaster's eyes. It was obvious Snakeface hated Dumbledore, mostly due to the fact that he stood in his way the first time he tried to take over the wizarding world.

Sighing, Harry looked to Sirius who had been teaching him Occlumency to defend against Voldemort trying to read his thoughts. The Boy-Who-Lived had kept up his exercises, clearing his mind each night before he slept finding that he rarely ever had dreams. But he did have the occasional one about that long windowless corridor. He had already figured out that there was something in the room at the end of corridor Voldemort wanted; the question was what. What annoyed him was that he had seen that corridor before, but could not remember where…

"Prongslet!" said Sirius sharply, snapping Harry out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, Padfoot?" asked Harry with a small smile.

"Fancy telling us why you want to go to Hogsmeade?"

Harry nodded and looked around the room, finding all eyes to be on him. He felt a little confident when Tonks, who was dead set against the idea, gave him an encouraging smile. "Err yeah, I – "

"It would help if you stood up Potter," Snape drawled from the corner, unable to sit at the table like a normal person.

"Thanks Snape," said Harry getting to his feet, ignoring Molly Weasley when she said '_Professor Snape'_. "I basically want to see how my friends are and it would also be nice to get out and smell the air for once."

"Then stick your head out of a window," offered Snape, Harry glaring at the Potions Master, he being the reason he wanted to see his friends in the first place.

"Stick yours in a noose," mumbled Harry, Sirius and several others snorting, the Death Eater giving him a glare that could kill. "Anyway I just want to see how they are, as they haven't sent much mail since they think it could be getting read."

"Really?" asked Minerva McGonagall, who was looking as stern as ever. "What has given your friends this train of thought?"

"They don't trust Umbridge," Harry said, noticing out of the corner of his eye, Dumbledore glancing towards him, the familiar feelings of hate trying to take control of him, his scar beginning to prickle. He glanced away, quickly clearing his mind of all thought while staring around the room. "We err…got a message from someone within Hogwarts that – "

"Who?" asked Molly Weasley, still looking angry.

"I can't say, but they – "

"I think that it would be best if you – "

"Molly would you please let him speak," said Tonks sounding frustrated, the mother hen sending a glare at the Metamorphmagus who looked far from fazed. "Go on, Harry."

Harry smiled at Tonks in thanks before continuing. "Basically the Floo network is being watched – "

"Tell us something we don't know," Snape drawled once again.

"Every fire except Umbrage's." Harry watched with satisfaction as several people shared surprised glances, so he continued. "It's someone called Madam Edgecombe who is policing the fires."

"She works in the Floo Network Office," said Arthur Weasley cleaning his glasses. "We have spoken a few times; she is firmly behind Fudge and doesn't believe that You-Know-Who has returned. Though it is strange all fires except Dolores Umbridge's are being watched."

"Helps to have contacts in the Ministry," Hestia Jones said, placing a black strand of hair that had fallen to her pink cheek behind her ear. "Clearly she got this through Fudge who is bound to offer whatever he can to get Hogwarts under Ministry control. Still, it is suspicious."

"Not really," stated Sirius who was rubbing his chin. "We all know she isn't a Death Eater, but it doesn't mean she isn't close with them. I'd bet my freedom that she's been in contact with Death Eaters."

"Wouldn't really be a surprise, as Fudge has surrounded him with those who are purebloods, the majority of them are former Death Eaters. She could easily get in contact them, especially if her floo connection is not being watched, without raising any suspicion," Remus added.

"Is there anyway we could block the Hogwarts network from being watched?" asked Bill glancing to Dumbledore.

The Headmaster had been in deep thought, his eyes fixed solely on his goblet while everyone had been speaking. He raised his head to his former student, letting out a small sigh. "It is possible however, if we were to ward all the fireplaces that are being watched it would create suspicion."

"Should they even be watching them in the first place?" asked Harry looking around the room. "Surely there is something you can do? What if a student wants to have a private conversation with their parents?"

"They don't," sighed Bill rubbing his eyes. "Things were never this bad when I was at school."

"I hadn't been there then that's why," Harry said with a grin, Bill chuckling along with several members. "Can't you just hide the common room fires from view then?"

"I will investigate and see what I can do," Dumbledore said finally, the tone in his voice saying this was no longer up for discussion. "We still need to decide whether Harry is allowed to visit Hogsmeade or not."

"It's a bit too risky," growled Moody, his magical eye fixing on Harry. "Even if it is just an hour visit that's an hour the Ministry or Voldemort have the chance to get him. They'll be expecting him to go see his friends since it's the first Hogsmeade weekend."

"What if he's wearing Glamour Charms, a cloak and is in contact with a member at all times?" asked Sirius with a smile.

"I'd say it's still risky," said Kingsley in his deep voice. "But…I'm open to ideas, staying cramped up in this place all day is not exactly healthy. What's your method of communication?"

Harry grinned and went into his pocket, pulling out the Two-Way mirrors Sirius had given him the previous night. His godfather and father used to use them to talk when in separate detentions, and they could be used no matter what the distance. They had been Black family heirlooms, passed down to siblings, but that was until Sirius had stolen them from his family when he was younger, deciding to give one to Harry's father to use.

"These are Two-Way Mirrors," said Harry holding up the two mirrors with golden frames, which were no bigger than the palm of his hand. "I can keep in touch with a member of the Order who would be stationed in Hogsmeade with me at all time. All they have to do is say my name in the mirror and I'll feel it vibrate in my pocket, thanks to a little charm added by Remus."

"Smart, but do you know where you're going to meet your friends, have you arranged a time and place?" asked Molly, who clearly was set against it. "It will be difficult to try and sort that out between now and then. I think it best if it – "

"Hogshead pub, eleven o'clock, along with several students who seem to be unhappy with the quality of Defense Against the Dark Arts at the moment," Sirius said happily, watching as Molly tried to find words to answer back, but was unable to. "Got some better news; apparently their going to form their own little Defense group."

"That sounds fun," said Bill laughing. "Who's arranging that?"

"Hermione by the looks of things," Harry said grinning. "That girl and her education."

"So you plan to go under Glamour Charms and an Invisibility cloak to the Hogshead pub, and then what?" asked Moody. "It would still be risky in an empty pub; you never know who could be in there hiding under a cloak themselves."

"I think that the owner would know," Dumbledore chuckled, several members joining in, Harry having no idea at what was so funny. "Alastor you know who owns the pub and that he would keep an eye on Harry if asked."

Harry glanced around the table, knowing that a decision would be made within the next few minutes, but he still felt unsure whether he truly wanted to go. He knew that if he went, there were bound to be stories about Umbridge, which would make him yearn to be back at the school. It would make him miss the castle that he had rarely thought about, due to his distractions at Grimmauld Place.

"_Do I really even need to go?_" Harry knew the only reason he would go was to see Ron and Hermione, the Twins and Ginny if she was around. Then again he knew that if Dumbledore fixed the problem with floo network, he could talk to his friends using the Grimmauld floo connection. He groaned inwardly rubbing his hands with his face, knowing that crunch time was coming soon.

Once more he glanced around the table, finding Bill talking with his dad, Kingsley talking loudly with Moody about the protection that could be offered, Molly looking to be arguing with Sirius. "_So much for her not interfering, I guess Dumbledore's conversation with her only worked for so long_."

His gaze then landed on Tonks who was sitting in her seat silent, her eyes that had been dark and showed some life, now a dull green. What he noticed however was that she was biting her lip. Tonks only did that when in deep thought and her hair was mousy brown, she had told him in confidence in turned this color when she was worried about something. And her eyes…they were dull, which was most definitely not the Tonks he knew.

"_Is it worth worrying Tonks just to leave the house for an hour or two?_" Could he make her worry more than she was doing now? Did he even have the right too, after everything she had done for him? That answer was simple; all he had to do was think back over the last few weeks. Or simply look into those dull green eyes. The answer had been staring him in the face ever since he had thought of going to see his friends. He had just refused to see it.

"I've decided I'm not going to go," said Harry stopping the several discussions that were going on. Everyone's eyes were on him once again, but this time he felt confident getting to his feet. "It's as Mad-Eye said, they'll be expecting me to go and it's not as if I won't see my friends at Christmas. It's not worth taking chances when there's no need for any to be taken." He offered them a smile and retook his seat, ignoring the happiness that filled Molly Wesley's features. She was not the only one who looked happy at his decision.

Several people looked rather relieved at this news; Dedalus Diggle it seemed had been holding his breath a long time and was taking deep breathes smiling happily. Hestia gave him a sad smiled, looking relieved nonetheless while Moody gave him a scarred grin, nodding his head in his direction.

"Are you sure?" Sirius whispered leaning into him, not sounding too surprised by what he had said. "I don't mind starting a war here to get you to go."

"It's fine Padfoot, I've got my own problems to deal with anyway," Harry replied. "Besides, why be there when I've got my godfather?"

Sirius quickly ruffled his hair, going back to sitting normally his chair, looking to be smiling over at Hestia Jones.

While Harry watched this amused, he did not notice Remus leaning in, but most definitely heard him when whispering in to his ear.

"I think we both know why you aren't going."

Harry glanced at Remus, pretending to look confused. "Moony my dear Marauder, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't Prongslet."

"I think you've been drinking too much Firewhiskey," said Harry getting to his feet, grabbing the two mirrors from the table. "Later, Moony."

"Prongslet," chuckled Remus.

Harry left his seat and smiled at the few who turned to wave goodbye. As he was about to leave the kitchen, he could not but look back. He left with a smile, dazzling green eyes meeting his for only a fraction of a second.

-o-

"So you aren't going to Hogsmeade then?" asked Phineas, Harry lying down on his bed with his eyes closed.

"No, be too much trouble for the Order."

"I suppose you Gryffindors do you have some sense," Phineas replied.

Harry smiled at his comment, not bothering to the portrait the real reason for him not going to Hogsmeade. The old him would have gone just to make sure his friends were safe, but apart of him knew they could take care of themselves and would ask him for help if they needed it.

"Any chance explaining the real reason why you aren't going?"

"That was the real reason," lied Harry opening his eyes and sitting up on the bed.

"I am not blind like other people Mr. Potter," said the former Headmaster of Hogwarts. "I can see what is going on by merely observing. It is painfully obvious to me that you only did this for a certain person that is related to the Black family."

The Gryffindor groaned and rolled his eyes getting to his feet. "I'm going the toilet Phineas, don't go nowhere whatever you do."

"I really wanted to know that," Phineas replied sarcastically.

Harry walked down the corridor towards the bathroom, his mind drifting to what he would do during the Hogsmeade weekend. Having a guess, Sirius and Remus would do their up most to keep his mind off anything Hogsmeade related. That basically meant they would talk about his parents, then they would argue for a little before eventually duelling and then go back to talking about his parents or a random subject.

"I should really start drinking more," chuckled Harry as he came to the bathroom finding the door closed. "Bugger." Moving along, he decided to wait at the banister and settled there, staring down into the empty hall, his gaze moving along the beheaded House-elves to the curtain that covered up Sirius's charming mother.

Sighing, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small brown package, smiling as he looked over it. The Gryffindor had taken great care wrapping it and nearly let go of it when the bathroom door opened. Looking over, he found Tonks walking out grinning happily. Her hair changed from spiky and pink, to long black hair that cascaded down her shoulders.

"Good look for you."

Her eyes met his, the grin on her lips becoming bigger instantly. "Hey you." She walked over moving next to him on the banister, their arms touching as they both stared down below. "Waiting to jump me when I came out the bathroom?"

"What can I say, attacking innocent beautiful women coming out of a bathroom is my specialty," joked Harry playing with the package. "How are you feeling now?" He need not have asked as he knew, but was glad that he did when she leaned in and kissed his cheek. "I ask again, how are you feeling?"

Tonks rolled her eyes at him, but grinned happily nonetheless. "Relieved that you're thinking of yourself and not your friends."

"_If only she knew_."

"Relieved, that I don't have to worry about you being attacked as you walk down the street. Relieved that you'll be safe here." Tonks then slipped her arm through his and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's rather hard to believe how close we've become since September."

"Yeah," agreed Harry, looking at Tonks who had her eyes closed. "Tired?"

"Yeah, but I'll get through days much easier now. What's in the package?"

Harry looked form the Auror to the package before handing it to her. "I err…"

"Want me to give this to your friends?" she asked quickly, her eyes looking to lose a bit of their sparkle.

"No," said Harry drawing his wand tapped the brown paper, which turned black and yellow to represent the colours of her house. "I don't think I have any really good friends in Hufflepuff apart from you."

Tonks grin if possible, seemed to become bigger and the sparkle in her eyes returned full force as she ripped off the black and yellow striped paper, gasping when seeing what she now held in her hands. "This…this is what Sirius gave you."

"Yeah," he said looking down at the mirror she now held in her hand. "I want you to have it, thought that this way you could keep an eye on me and I can help you get through those boring hours in the Auror archives."

The Metamorph moved forward, wrapping her arms around him, Harry returning the hug realizing that not all hugs involved you being choked out or having the feeling of you bones being crushed. It was actually rather nice standing there holding onto the Auror, her smell intoxicating him and it was with great reluctance he let go. "Thank you Hero, this means a lot to me."

"It was no problem Nymphadora," said Harry taking a chance. It paid off as Tonks rolled her eyes at what he said. "Guess we are getting close."

"Say it again and I'll smack you though," Tonks replied. "Though, if you're determined to call me something other than Tonks…Dora, call me Dora."

"Dora," repeated Harry, liking the name a lot. "Between me and you?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Get some rest, I won't be able to stay and talk tonight, start work early tomorrow morning. Night Hero."

Harry watched her go, his eyes fixed on the Auror that had made him feel like he could fly. "Night Dora."

Tonks' smile that she sent him from the bottom of the stairs, is what had Harry grinning stupidly as walking back to his room. He ignored Phineas's questions as he got ready for bed, his thoughts solely on the Auror that had a rather amazing effect on him. It was while lying there in his bed, Phineas now moaning about "ignorant children", the Gryffindor realised Tonks had taken his mind completely off the fact that he needed the bathroom.

"Bugger."


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: If Harry Potter was mine, would I be writing this? Then again if Harry Potter was mine, I would have made sure Snape washed his hair.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Chapter 10

Realization

-o-

_Dear Harry_

_I know we haven't written often, but things here at Hogwarts are a lot different to last year. Umbridge is clearly watching the post with the aid of Filch and as you know thanks to the Twins, so is the Floo Network. We've even noticed that we're being followed at times by Slytherins who I'm certain are reporting back to Umbridge. The only reason this letter is being sent is because I'm passing it onto Professor McGonagall._

_Things at Hogwarts, apart from Umbridge, aren't too bad. Lessons are becoming a little more difficult (too right Ron says) and people are still refusing to believe You-Know-Who is back except a few._

_Though you probably know thanks again to the Twins, we're starting a group called the Defense Association so that we can study Defense for our exams and how to fight. We know that sooner or later this war will begin and we want to be ready so that we can fight back. It's just a shame that you're not here as you would be an excellent teacher for us._

_How are you anyway? Are you keeping up with your studies? Please tell me you are staying out of trouble. Harry we are sorry, we truly are for not being able to get in contact with you, but we don't to take any chances in case the Ministry or Death Eaters find out where you are. If anything more happens, we'll do our best to let you know – Love Hermione._

_P.S. Hey mate, it's just me adding this as everyone else is off who knows where. Got to say, Hogwarts isn't the same without you here mate, Potions is more unbearable than ever. Any chance you could come watch the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game? Be good to see you again, but if you can't, don't worry about it. Try and stay out of trouble, though if you can't, give me an owl and I'll gladly join you – Ron._

_P.P.S. Hey Harry, hope you're doing well, can't wait to see you at Christmas or sooner. Hermione's having a fit because she's just about to send this to McGonagall, bye – Love Ginny._

Harry finished reading the letter and couldn't help but smile, as everything at Hogwarts didn't sound as bad as he thought it was. His friends also sounded fine and looked well, according to Mundungus who had watched over them during the Hogsmeade trip, though Ron had had his hand bandaged. The Gryffindor had not been too worried, having put it down to a Quidditch injury, which was highly probable considering he was Gryffindors Keeper.

But the problem that was Umbridge was slowly becoming more of a threat by the sound of things, especially if she was enlisting help from Argus Filch and the Slytherins to keep an eye on his friends. He knew for a fact Draco Malfoy would be involved, along with several classmates from his year. His conscience would be at ease if Draco's father were not a Death Eater.

Umbridge was also successfully shutting down all communication going in and out of Hogwarts, which in itself was a huge blow. The evil Toad was slowly becoming a dominating figure, one that could be a threat to Dumbledore's position considering she had the backing of the Ministry behind her.

It was at times like these, he wished he were at Hogwarts just knowing exactly what was going on. But he had promised himself and Tonks that he would not get involved, instead he would watch from the sidelines. It was however, becoming rather difficult considering the Toad had created yet another decree, disbanding all clubs, organizations, societies and teams. And the only way they could be reformed, was through the High Inquisitor.

This of course meant the Defense group Hermione had planned on putting together would be illegal, which meant that she would most definitely be getting cold feet. She lived by the rules and Harry knew that without enough persuasion, the Defense group she had sounded rather determined in putting together in her letter would be a thing of the past.

With a sigh, Harry put the letter aside and ran his hands through his hair, knowing the day ahead would be a long one. He had now progressed onto fifth year work, meaning that it was becoming a little more difficult since it was the first time he would be attempting these spells. The advantage he had had when relearning his first four years of work was gone, which meant he would have to actually study more. It was a thought that terrified him.

"Prongslet get up!" Sirius' voice boomed around the voice. "Lessons begin in half an hour! You still haven't made my breakfast you lazy git!"

Harry couldn't help but laugh, but stopped when his mirror begun to vibrate. Grinning, he picked up the small square mirror, his grin growing bigger when he found a pair of purple eyes staring into his. "Hey Dora."

"You up yet?" asked the Auror, her hair that had spiky now becoming shoulder length.

"Nope, still in bed thinking about you," he replied, feeling his stomach flip when she winked and blew him a kiss. "Still working in the archives?"

"Sadly, bloody Scrimgeour isn't exactly happy with me period now," said Tonks, not sounding too bothered. "I was getting coffee this morning and he kind of barked at me to hurry up, so I fell backwards and I threw coffee all over him."

"Did it leave a mark?" Harry asked while laughing, imaging someone like Snape coffee thrown in there face.

"His face is all blotchy," chuckled Tonks. "Said that my clumsiness is why I'm not on duty."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing at all, I just tried not to smile, failed towards the end. Probably going to sack me, knowing my luck."

"As I said, my vault is always open to you," Harry stated. "Just don't spend it all."

"So kind Hero, I may take you up on your offer."

"Prongslet get your bloody arse down here and make me bacon!" Sirius roared, his voice having been magically magnified. "My tummy is hungry!"

Tonks laughed, her hair changing from long and purple to short, spiky and pink. "Best get going Hero the House-elf."

"So much for sharing my vault," grumbled Harry.

"You know I'm only joking," said Tonks sadly, sticking out her bottom lip and changing her eyes to green. "Could you really deny someone as pretty as me the chance to spend your money?"

"You aren't pretty," said Harry looking away, not missing the shock that appeared quickly in her eyes. "You're beautiful." He watched as she flashed him one of her dazzling smiles that sent his stomach into overdrive, flipping and buzzing around madly, her eyes dancing at what he said.

"For that I'll be bring you dinner tonight," said Tonks, her hair changing to long, shiny and raven colored. "Pizza sound good to you?"

"Dora, you keep bringing me pizza and I'll have to marry you," Harry said grinning.

"We're still a little young, maybe when we're older," replied the Auror, her dazzling smile still on her lips. "Best get going, Sirius won't last much longer."

"Suppose," Harry said. "If you do manage to see Scrimgeour again, throw a cup of coffee at him for me."

"Sure thing, later!" Tonks disappeared from the mirror, Harry feeling a little disappointed she had to leave so soon.

With a sigh, Harry kicked off his bed sheets and got to his feet allowing himself to have a nice stretch. Grabbing a towel, he was just about to leave the room when someone spoke.

"You are a little young for marriages aren't you?" said Phineas.

Harry turned around to face Phineas, who was sitting in his chair gazing at the Boy-Who-Lived playing with his beard. "I thought when you died, you stayed that way."

Phineas ignored him. "I see you and Miss Tonks are getting rather close."

"What of it?" Harry asked leaning against the door.

"Nothing, just merely saying you're getting rather close," replied the portrait with a sly grin. "Though I must say, seven years is a rather large gap isn't it?"

Harry growled and felt himself heat up a little, knowing very well were this was going. "I'm friends with people a lot older than me, seven years is nothing."

"Friends?" questioned Phineas, chuckling lightly. "You're either in denial, or trying to keep your interest in Miss Tonks a secret. So you know, you're failing miserably if it is the latter."

The Gryffindor was tempted to go for his wand that lay on his bedside table, and use it to wipe that smirk of Phineas" lips, but he knew the portrait was used for passing information along to Dumbledore, which meant that using him for firewood was out of the question. "Tonks and I are just – "

"Denial it is then," said Phineas cutting across him. "I shall speak with you again soon Mr Potter." With that he left his frame.

"Dead git," grumbled Harry pulling open the door and stomping out. "I'm not in denial about anything." However, the wheels in his mind begun to slowly turn as he contemplated Phineas' words.

-o-

"What took you so long?" asked Sirius from the table when Harry entered the kitchen, still deep in thought. "Hello! Prongslet! Harry! Hero!"

Harry looked up at the last name, glaring at Sirius who grinned in response. "Don't call me that."

"My dear cousin does," replied Sirius taking a gulp of tea.

"That's because I like your dear cousin, I just think you're a git." Harry grinned when his godfather spat out the liquid in his mouth onto the table, where the lesson plan for fifth year Herbology lay. "Guess lessons are cancelled then."

"Not on your life," Sirius said glaring at him, waving his wand clearing away the tea that had sadly not affected the parchment in anyway. "We're finally onto fifth year material now, which means we're entering the final phase of your OWLs. Get through this quickly enough and we may even start NEWT level stuff."

"Great," Harry replied taking a seat at the table and drawing his wand, summoning parchment, ink and a rainbow colored quill he had borrowed and not given back to Tonks. The items came flying through kitchen seconds later and settled themselves gently onto the table.

"You have a real knack for the Summoning Charm don't you?" Sirius said impressed.

"Well after summoning your broom while facing a dragon that could very kill you, it becomes second nature."

"Suppose that would happen," chuckled Sirius. "Something similar happened when your dad and I were attempting to become Animagi. It takes a lot of concentration to transform, which means clearing your mind and focusing solely on the animal inside you. It was because we cleared our minds so well that we could perform non-verbal spells without much effort and learnt Occlumency rather quickly."

"You didn't tell me my dad was an Occlumens," Harry said in awe.

"We learned just after we entered the Order, your Mum was a little behind us while Moony grasped it rather quickly. I put it down to the hours he spent with us when we were meditating."

"Why does it take so long to become an Animagi, took you nearly three years right?" asked Harry.

"It took us three years because we had do everything ourselves, such as finding out how to actually help Moony. Then once we found out about Animagi, we then had to study on how to actually transform. When we found out involved a lot of meditating, we knew it would be a struggle, learning to clear your mind is not easy if you're a twelve year old," Sirius said getting to his feet. "When we first heard about Animagi, we thought it was a simple process of taking a potion and then hey presto, you got the animal you wanted. Much more complex, believe me."

"Still, sounds useful," said Harry leaning back in his seat.

"It is," replied Sirius, a smile playing on his lips from the kitchen area where he was making tea. "Take it you're interested?"

Harry only smiled in response, the idea of becoming an Animagus like both his father and Sirius sounded very tempting. It could also be useful if he was trying to get away if he were in trouble, not that he was planning to get into any. His time at Grimmauld Place had taught him to watch from the sidelines, and it was where he planned to stay until he had to get involved.

"Well if you wanted to, you would have a head start on most as you can already clear your mind thanks to your Occlumency training, which I hope you're keeping up," Sirius said raising an eyebrow, Harry nodding. "I know I'm going on, but clearing your mind constantly is the only way it starts to slowly stick. Once you can do it in the blink of an eye, we can start moving on in that subject.

"Anyway, since you can already clear your mind, all you would have to do from there is search for the animal within you. Easier said than done, since you have to actually think how you see yourself."

"Take it means looking back over my past," said Harry grimacing at the thought.

"Yes, but it also means seeing you for you," Sirius said with a grin, pouring water into a mug. "Take me for example, I see myself as faithful and loyal friend, so my characteristics are that of a dog, animals that are known to be faithful. Your dad was a natural born leader and would do whatever it took to defend his family and friends, hence, characteristics of a stag."

"So Wormtail, who is a treacherous – "

"Good Moony word usage."

"Thanks," said Harry, "little sneak, would become a rat?"

"Exactly," Sirius said retaking his seat at the table. "There's a bit more to it than that, but you've got the general idea. So, are you interested in becoming an Animagus?"

"Maybe," said Harry playing with the rainbow colored quill. "It just…I've just got a lot going on at the moment shockingly. I'd like to do it, but it sounds like it could be something that could eat up a lot of time and – "

"You need to get your mind off Tonks," chuckled Sirius, laughing when Harry sent him a glare. "Come on Prongslet, you spend practically all your free time with her. Now I'd understand if this was to do with wanting to get your OWL requirements out the way – "

"That too," mumbled Harry, wishing he had said that.

"Yeah, sure," Sirius said grinning. "I do see your point though, it is time consuming and I think it would be best if you got these annoying OWLs out the way first. Maybe after finishing up your fifth year work we could start, but only if you were fully committed. Becoming an Animagi isn't easy and shouldn't be taken lightly."

"Thanks Padfoot," said Harry unrolling some parchment. "Should we start Herbology now?"

"Just one question," said Sirius raising his hand like a child, Harry rolling his eyes at his antics.

"Go on."

"How come Tonks can call you 'Hero' and I can't?"

Harry glared at his godfather for the third time that morning. "Like I said, I like Tonks and I – "

"Damn right you do," Sirius said grinning, sipping his tea. "Your eyes are on her from the moment she walks in until the moment she leaves. Just like your old man in that sense, that girl got you wrapped around her little finger and you aren't even dating yet."

"Dating yet?" Harry repeated, looking at Sirius as though he had two heads. "That sounds like you're optimistic."

"Course I am, you two are practically together all the time and you're even trading gifts now."

"We're not – "

"Clothes and one of the Two-Way Mirrors ring any bells?" asked Sirius leaning back in his seat. "Admit it Harry, you've fallen hard for my cousin and sooner or later I'll be checking to see if there is a Sticking Charm on either of your lips."

The Gryffindor ignored his neck that heated slightly and instead settled for glaring at Sirius once again, trying not to think about his lips on Tonks'. By the way things were going, it seemed both the portrait and his godfather would be getting tossed in the fire.

"I just don't want to see any Potter babies – "

"Friends, Padfoot, friends!" Harry said looking away from Sirius and to his blank piece of parchment, his mind slowly becoming cluttered with thoughts of the Auror. "_Bloody mental, I don't like Tonks, we're friends and that's it. I see her only as a friend…right?_"

"Sure you are," Sirius said rolling his eyes and, his grin now bigger than ever. "Keep telling yourself that and it may come true, especially if you don't make a move."

"You're mental," Harry said using one of Ron's phrases. "Bloody mental."

"You'll be the mental one if you let Tonks slip away," Sirius said grabbing one of Harry's Herbology books and quickly flicking through it. "I'll let you work it out yourself for now and when you finally come round, we'll talk more, now, onto Herbology!" That was the last thing Sirius said on the subject, but it was the only thing on Harry's mind from that moment on.

-o-

Harry lay on the worn leather couch in the drawing room, staring up at the ceiling. His lessons that day were a blur as he had not being much attention, the Gryffindor earning yet more detentions from his godfather who with Phineas, had him questioning his feelings towards Tonks who had become a very good friend.

"_But do I see her as just a friend?_" Harry asked himself, feeling rather ill knowing the consequences that could occur if he did have actual feelings for her. Things would most definitely change between the two, and their friendship could be ruined. "_We're just good friends who spend a lot of time together, I've spent four years in Hermione's company and I don't fancy her!_"

However, when he thought up this argument it always came down to the same conclusion, he saw Hermione as a sister rather than a girl he would be interested it. Then there was also the fact Ron would murder him while he slept if he tried anything with her, not that he would anyway.

"_It's times like these I need someone to talk to about these things._" Harry was tempted to call Sirius upstairs and ask for his assistance, but knowing his godfather, he would embarrass him about his own experiences leaving him scarred for life. He was considering asking Remus for advice, but the werewolf was busy with Order work.

There was nobody else he really wanted to ask, as it would be embarrassing and Sirius and Remus were the only two he would trust with this kind of thing. Sirius however was already out of the question, especially after mentioning "Potter babies" and he didn't know when Remus would return. Whenever he went on missions for the Order, he could be gone for a few hours or a few weeks.

"_Maybe Ron and Hermione?_" he thought, but he quickly dismissed the idea.

Ron would probably tell him to not think on in it and ask his sister out, and if not that then he'd most probably tell him he fancied her because she was a great looking woman. Hermione, for all her knowledge, would most probably say it was silly crush and that he was foolish to dwell on it. She would say Tonks was a woman who would be far from interested, not because of his personality but because he was seven years her junior.

"_Maybe it's a silly crush?_" Harry was inclined towards this theory, but it didn't feel like a crush since he didn't blush or stutter like he did around Cho.

Around Tonks he felt like he did not have to hide a thing, he could be himself for she saw him as simply Harry, not as the Boy-Who-Lived and it was why he felt comfortable when close with her. Whether it be laying on his bed shooting sparks into the air for the hell of it, or when she would rest her head on his shoulder. It was a simple thing, but a year ago he would have most definitely had a panic attack at such an action.

Sighing, he whacked the couch with his arm in frustration, being no further than he had been all day. Checking his watch, he found it to be near seven, meaning his mind had been thinking about Tonks on and off for close to nine hours. "This is just not healthy."

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness," came a voice form the doorway, which made his heart skip a beat and sent his stomach into continuous summersaults.

"So I've been told," replied Harry looking away from the ceiling to the Auror, the Gryffindor trying to ignore the thoughts about Tonks that suddenly sprung to mind.

Tonks, who was out of the usual black robes wore, was now sporting a pair of blue muggle jeans and a Weird Sisters t-shirt similar to the one she bought him, except hers was red. He glanced over her hair, finding it raven colored like his, but cascading down her shoulders like it had that night on the stairs, while her eyes were those dark orbs that were so full of life. In her hands she held a box that contained one of their favourite foods, along with four bottles of Butterbeer.

It was the most refreshing sight he had seen all day, even if it made him feel down right nervous.

"Getting a good view?" she asked grinning, entering the room and placing the pizza box down on his stomach and placing the bottles on the floor. "I know I'm gorgeous Harry, but it is rude to stare."

"Can you blame me?" he asked, while slapping himself mentally for such a comment. "I mean – "

"Nope," was all she said still grinning, removing her black boots to reveal yellow and black striped socks before picking up his legs. "Don't move whatever you do."

"Sorry," he said quickly, moving his legs from her hands and placed them on the floor. He smiled when she raised an eyebrow at his actions. "It's rude to put your feet up on the couch."

"_Idiot._"

"Well, I'd rather be rude and comfortable," she said with a grin, laying down on the couch, the Gryffindor lifting the pizza box from his lap as she placed her feet there. "You don't know how much I've looked forward to this all day."

"Really?" Harry asked, unsure if he should believe her, but these thoughts disappeared quickly.

Tonks had been coming to visit him at the dreary old house for close to two months now, and hadn't complained once when being in his company. She seemed to enjoy his company as much as he enjoyed hers.

"Of course," said Tonks looking to him, looking at him as though he had two heads. "Who else would I rather spend time with?"

Harry felt his stomach flip at this question. "Err…Padfoot?"

"You'd rather me spend time with your Godfather?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"No!" he said quickly, shaking his head. "Padfoot is fine on his own; he's got Playwizard and two healthy hands."

"Harry!" Tonks said laughing, hitting him lightly with her heel. "Stop acting like Sirius and give me some pizza."

The Gryffindor laughed in reply, thankful she had not taken his joke badly. _"When has she ever?"_ Deciding to stop questioning everything he did, he opened the box to find a fresh pizza with a chicken topping that the two could share. He drew his wand with a little difficulty, as Tonks was refusing to move, a sly grin on her lips as he struggled. With a playful glare at her, he sliced up the pizza into several even slices and levitated one over to the Auror. "Ladies first."

"Thank you, kind sir." Tonks lifted her head and took a bite, chewing happily while Harry held it up for her in the air.

"Looks like you're enjoying that," said Harry.

"Better believe it, beats the crap served in the Ministry cafeteria," said Tonks before taking another bite, this time grabbing the slice with her hands.

"You'd think that stuff was heaven if you tried Padfoot's cooking," Harry replied levitating two bottles of Butterbeer into the air and casting Warming Charms on the bottles, Vanishing the tops with a wave. "Butterbeer?"

Tonks, who had now devoured the remains of her first slice, grinned and accepted the bottle Harry banished into her hand. She took a gulp, her eyes flashing to green as she looked to savor the magnificent taste. "Who needs a night out when you've got great company, good food and Butterbeer?"

Harry could only grin response. _"How can you not be attracted to her?"_

"So how was your day?"

"Boring," lied Harry, deciding to leave out the fact that he been wondering all day whether he fancied her.

"Great description," chuckled the Auror. "Fancy filling in the blanks you left?"

Harry rubbed his neck in response, cursing himself when he felt it heat up. "Err…a letter came last night from my friends, apparently McGonagall gave it to Padfoot after the meeting and he left it in my room. Didn't get it till this morning though."

"How is everything at Hogwarts?"

"They're saying things aren't too bad, they're being followed by Slytherins on Umbridge's orders though and that they're sorry for not being in contact as much," said Harry grabbing a slice of pizza and taking a bite.

"Well with Umbridge having communication in and out of Hogwarts watched, it isn't really their fault," said Tonks sitting up and grabbing another slice. "And if they're seen giving letters to McGonagall often, it would arouse suspicion and unwanted questions."

"True," said Harry resting his head against the worn leather, his gaze linger on Tonks who had lain back down, her head propped up thanks to a few pillow. She was without a doubt beautiful, her heart-shaped face and button like nose being one of the features that helped to enhance her beauty. Her hair was spread over her shoulders and her eyes, that showed her mood, were full of life and filled with happiness.

"Must you watch me eat?" she asked grinning, her eyes flashing to green.

"Sorry," said Harry looking away, blushing slightly. "Just thinking."

"About?"

"Err…"

"Come on you can tell me Harry," said Tonks sitting up, placing the half eaten slice in her hand in the box, and moving the box to the floor. She then turned around on the couch and grabbed a pillow, placing it in his lap and then resting her head upon it, gazing up at him as sat there.

Harry smiled as she switched her position having been in a situation like this before with the Auror. He rested his hand on hers and allowed his other to start playing with a lock of her hair, gazing into her eyes. While this was happening, his heart was pounding against his chest and he started to feel very warm. He ignored his stomach that was buzzing and flipping around madly, and concentrated on keeping a clear mind. Couldn't let his mind run free in this kind of situation.

"Come on Hero, what are you thinking?" she asked, her fingers interlocking with his. "Tell me."

"I…" He wanted to try and lie, but as he gazed into her eyes he knew he couldn't, so he decided to tell her a bit of the truth. "I'm happier than I've ever been," said Harry smiling, squeezing her hand while staring into those green orbs.

"Same here," Tonks whispered, her smile growing as she stared at him. "I'm just going to rest my eyes, okay?"

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered back. He watched as she closed her eyes, his smile fixed in place as he watched her falling into a peaceful slumber. It was while he was watching her, he realized that like the night during the Order meeting; the answer had been right in front of him. He groaned lightly, pressing his head against the worn leather.

"_I hate it when Padfoot is right_."


End file.
